0 Negative Memory
by SorrowfulReincarnation
Summary: The forgotten past returns slowly to him. Though his past cannot be written down, it has happened, and is still there...the walking enigmas past unfolds before his inner eye after it had been loosened... Requires having read I-NB to a certain point. Prequel to I-Negative Bullet. Book 0 in the "Negative Bullet Project". Finished.
1. 1 The Indifference

_What's up, guys and gals? Welcome to the prequel to Negative Bullet, 0 -Negative Memory,a story that touches on Chôzens history and explains how he met most of the characters that he remembers from before his memory loss, and eventually touches onto the event that led to his memory loss..._

_However, to read and understand this story, you should have at least read to a certain point of I-Negative Bullet, otherwise, you may not understand what is going on, or who the character is. The point I'm speaking of, is Arc 4 Chapter 8, or if you do not count in arcs, Chapter 45: The Truth._

_This story makes time-jumps, most of them do happen with every new chapter. Each chapter will tell a part of Chôzens history, and his relation to a certain person... I have been repeatedly asked for flashbacks regarding Chôzens past, but I instead decided to make it a whole book instead of simple chapters._

_Keep in mind that the Chôzen of this story behaves different than the one from "I - Negative Bullet". Though he is the same person, he has a completely different kind of personality... also, this story will be mostly serious, and will not contain much humour, as it has a darker history. Will contain references nontheless. _

_Also, do keep in mind that the time mentioned at the beginning of a chapter (like 1500 years ago in this one) isn't ment from the real time, but from the moment of Negative Bullet (this chapter plays 1500 years before Negative Bullet, for example)._

_Yeah, so let's start, shall we?_

_*klaxons start blaring*_

_CAUTION! Do at least read Negative Bullet up to Chapter 45: The Truth to understand this chapter! CAUTION!_

_*klaxons fade out*_

_DISCLAIMER: I do not own Touhou, Team Shanghai Alice / ZUN does. I also do not own the song below. However, Chôzen Gekido is mine._

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><p><strong>Opening  NB 0 Theme: "SID - Melody of the wild dance"**

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><p><em><strong>Chapter 1: The Indifference<strong>_

_About 1500 years ago, Japan, Tokio_

**_"...different..."_**

I saw them. I saw them all. To my left and my right, everyone who saw me froze up, flinched. The mothers took their childen by the shoulders and turned their gazes away, husbands jumped in front of their wifes, policemen lifting their weapons, pointing it at me.

**_"...no human... no era for youkai..."_**

An illuminated panel to my right displayed commercials, the cars around me had stopped, yet I could hear the loud cries of cars on the streets in the surroundings. The smoke lay in the air and occasionally filled my lungs when I breathed in. The air was cold... cold like the snow around... cold like me.

_**"...Indifferent... I do not care..."**_

Suddenly, a very nervous policeman pulled the trigger of his weapon, and a single bullet flew towards me. I heard the gasps quite clear as I catched the bullet in between my left thumb and my left index finger, and squished it. "Just what the hell is he?", a policeman shouted. As I turned my unsettling green-glowing eyes at him, he froze up in fear and jolted backwards, his weapon falling to the ground.

**_"...life is meaningless... a heart exists to suffer..."_**

As I opened my hand, the bullet fell to the ground, landed softly in the snow without even making a noise. "Put your hands in behind your head!", a loud voice roared. As I leaned my head into the direction of the highest ranked officer, even he flinched. And he was a man of about 2 meters, muscles clearly visible through his lightblue uniform.

_**"... the word 'humanity'... is just an excuse for faults..."**_

"So you actually came!" The policemen yelped in fear, then all turned around and pointed their weapons at a woman in a purple dress, a pink parasol leaned onto her right shoulder, despite the lack of sun. She walked through a gap in between two police cars, her appearance beyond reproach and her steps soft and yet clearly looking just exalted.

_**"...boundaries... are meaningless..."**_

"I see you thought about my offer, my dear...", she breathed as she walked past me, a gloved finger running playfully over my chest and up to my chin, then vanished just for a second and returned to my chest.

_**"...pleasure... does not exist..."**_

"Lady, go away from him, he is too dangerous!", shouted the highest-ranked officer. The woman let her purple eyes wander to him. "Do not interfere me, human.", she whispered, then turned back to me. "Merely you being here tells me that you have decided... so you're actually joining my little world, how interesting!"

**_"...worlds... they are all the same..."_**

"Lady, I said...!" I turned my eyes once again to the officer, and this time, he froze up in what was pure fear as I opened my mouth, and let the green flame escape from it. My flame. My soul. The part that has been split from me as I chose the path of indifference... "Ignore him... Let's go... Shall we? Gensokyo is awaiting you... the highest of the highest have gathered... just to welcome you..." My eyes turned to her again.

**_"...highest... merely a word... there is no order in any world..."_**

The blonde woman moved her finger across my chest again, but then turned around and lifted her hand. Just in that second, the frightened policeman from before lifted his weapon again and shot at me. And hit me right into the forehead. But he bolted in fear as I merely turned my eyes to him, the bullet stuck in my forehead. He bolted, like they all did, as the squished bullet fell out of my forehead, leaving back neither a wound, nor an imprint.

**_"...death... does not exist... death and life... are merely two words for the same..."_**

"Puny humans...", sighed the woman, right before a gap opened in front of her. "Step in, they are awaiting you..." Without even bothering to answer, I stepped forwards, past her, into the gap. But in the last second, my mouth opened nontheless. "I do not care."

**_"...we do not exist. Nothing truly exists. And if it does, I do not care..."_**

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><p><em>And, what'cha thinking about this introduction to the indifferent Chôzen? I really like the thoughts that flash through Chôzens mind that are seperated from the rest... but that is only me.<em>

_Yeah, so... he sure will be an asshole in Negative Memory, at least in the chapters that he is indifferent in... there will be a bit of the path of nihilism included as well later on._

_Anyways, those who truly read Negative Bullet should find a familiar sentence in this... Yes, it is the _"... the word 'humanity'... is just an excuse for faults..." one... Chôzen remembered it in the Embodiment of Scarlet Devil Arc, as Sakuya brought him to Voile.__

_So... yeah. Hope you enjoyed this introduction. There's a second chapter already uploaded, as you should've noticed. Check it out if you like._

_Otherwise..._

_So long!_


	2. 2 Turn back the pendulum

_*Klaxons blare*_

_CAUTION! Do at least read Negative Bullet up to Chapter 45: The Truth to understand this chapter! CAUTION!_

_*Klaxons fade out*_

_DISCLAIMER: I do not own Touhou, Team Shanghai Alice / ZUN does. Chôzen Gekido is mine._

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><p><em><strong>Chapter 2: Turn back the pendulum, my arms flow backwards<strong>_

_Today, Gensokyo - Gekido-Taizai Residence_

"So you had a nightmare last night?", asked Rumia as she nibbled on her bread. I had invited her for breakfast, and surprisingly, Nanatsu did for once agree. And they were not fighting, rather, they were peaceful, just like on the party right before the "Imperishable Night" Incident... Speaking of incidents, the last one, the "Phantasmagoria of Flower View" Incident, has just currently stopped... It seems that Shikieiki and Komachi finally managed to get rid of all the incoming souls...

"Hm... Well, yes I had...", I muttered, rubbing the back of my head in embarrassment. I myself don't really know as for why I brought my nightmare up. "What was it about?", asked Nanatsu, staring at the angel of death. "...my past."

These words made both Rumia and Nanatsu flinch, the angel of death even almost let her bread fall. "You remembered something?", asked Nanatsu quickly. "More or less... it was a short part... to define it, I believe it was the moment before I entered Gensokyo for the first time... I saw many humans there, Yukari... and myself... I've been strange..."

"Strange?", asked Rumia, putting her bread down. "I've just been as many have described it... no... I've been worse... I... thought those... things...", I muttered, looking down at my own bread right in front of me. "What things?", asked Rumia, raising an eyebrow. At that, I just stood up, flinching as I heard the noise of my chair moving across the tiled ground.

"I do not feel like talking about it... I need some time for myself...", I muttered, then turned around towards the corridor. "I'm sorry that I can't be a good host today, Rumia. I'll make it up to you,I promise.", I smiled across my shoulder, but upon seeing the worried expressions of the two girls, I sighed. Apparently, they weren't buying my fake smile...

"It's really nothing... I'm fine... Just feel like... being alone for a moment...", I whispered, but loud enough for the girls to hear. "Listen... I may be gone for a few days... Don't search for me, you won't find me... But I am alright, please know that. I'm just spending some time alone in a place... no, enough words have been spoken.", I stopped, then, without glancing back another time, I walked towards the door, opened it, and stepped into the corridor.

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><p>Letting out a loud growl, I plopped down onto the ground, holding my head, which was hurting like hell. "Now?", I hissed, just as a feeling struck to me that reminded me of being struck by lightning. Letting out a loud hiss of pain, I clenched my head harder. "Why is this happening now?", I growled, just before another wave of pain hit me, this time, coming from the center of my chest.<p>

As the pain went down this time, I simply growled, and let myself fall against the wall behind me. It was barely illuminated here in this cave... but there was a reason as for why I had come here. Just recently, I remembered this place in another dream... it was a cave in a cliff of a mountain near the bamboo forest of lost, which I could clearly make out when looking out of a small opening in the wall right next to my head.

This cave and I... our history goes back to the earliest days of Gensokyo. In my earliest years... I have resided in here... the memory seems so clear to me now... in the middle of a thunderstorm, I walked through the rain, not caring about the rain hitting my face or where I was... It had been all the same to me, rain and sun, residence and homelessness, life and death... I had not cared for a thing in the world, and even though I had not cared about sleep, I had decided to call a place my own... and that was how I ended up in this cave... not caring if my home was a house or a cave... or if I had one at all...

Deeper in this cave, there is a small miracle, though... in the deepest depths of this cave... is a large room, a small lake inside it. Though it is barely deep enough to reach up to my waist, many areas shallow enough that my feet barely sink in it... in the middle of said lake is a small island, grass growing on it. A large hole is in the ceiling above it, allowing daylight to shine inside. And in the middle of the small island grows a large, lonely sakura tree. It was the same sakura tree that I had asked out Nanatsu no Taizai beneath... it was the same sakura tree that Nanatsu and I had vowed our eternal bond beneath... our love... Only she and I knew of this place...

Suddenly, another surge of pain shot through me, and I clenched my head. This pain... whenever I remember those large informations, those enormous memories... when I try to remember them, I get a headache, if I do not stop trying to remember them, it becomes a sting inside my skull... to the point it becomes unbearable and I have to let go... but now, when those memories are triggered... it is a gigantic wave of pain flashing through me for a moment...

As it stopped this time, I let my head fall against the wall, ignoring the short pain as it happened. Bumping my head was nothing against the pain I felt when those memories return. Letting out an amused sigh, I closed my eyes, panting. Cold sweat was all across my body as it ocassionally flinched or twitched, and I even coughed once.

"Am I... getting a cold... or is it... part of my memories... returning?", I coughed, grabbing my chest as another wave of pain shot through me. "Impossible... this is not... a cold... just an hour ago... I felt okay...", I hissed, letting my head fall backwards, my face turned towards the hole in the wall so that I would be hit by the soft breeze...

As I opened my eyes to gaze across the bamboo forest of lost, I let out a sigh... and then spotted a very familiar red dot above the large bamboo. "M-mokou... Fujiwara no... Mokou... heading... towards the human village?", I coughed. And then, another wave of pain.

Glancing down at my watch, I hissed. Almost 6 PM... Should I return home... I said I would stay away, but with my current condition... No! I was too weak already, getting up impossible... my body feels so heavy... my eyelids... so... heavy...

As I closed my eyes to rest them, I glanced a last time at the watch around my left wrist... and swore I saw the arms flow backwards at a rapid pace... but as everything was swaying... I cannot be sure... And... was there actually someone... leaning against that wall...? Two persons...a male... and a ... female...?

_"_Sleep well, Mister Gekido..."

Glaring at them, narrowing my eyes to make out who it was... I failed as my eyes fell close and my body became limp.

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><p>She watched in silence as his body became limp, but as the world around him turned grey, she let out a sigh. "We just created a time paradox.", she spoke as she looked at the man aside her, who nodded. "But it is the least I can do to repay him. His memories have been loosened, yet he has to find them... this time paradox, turning the time back within his conciousness, will help him refind the loosened memories...", muttered the man, before he leaned against a wall.<p>

"We cannot leave him alone in this state. I watch over him, you return to your job.", spoke the man. "Certainly. Please watch over him. Call me if anything is out of the ordinary... messing with time like that is dangerous...", whispered the woman, before she mysteriously disappeared, leaving back only a single card, falling to the ground.

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><p><em>And so, Chôzen has been put to sleep, ready to remember events of the past. This chapter plays right after Phantasmagoria of Flower View Arc of NB, even though it has not been finished yet (the extra chapter remains), but that is not of importance. The next flashback chapters happen chronologically in between I-Negative Bullet Arc 4's Extra Chapter and the first chapter of the fourth Intermission arc... Meaning that, in Negative Bullet, when the first chapter of the Intermission arc starts, Chôzen has already awoken again from his memories...<em>

_Yeah, so, can you guess who these two shapes were? Pretty obvious, ain't it?_

_Yeah, until the next update..._

_So long!_


	3. 3 Rise from the ash

_Sorry for the long wait, guys and gals, but here it is, the third chapter of 0 - Negative Memory! Alright, finally!_

_Life has been hard for me the past week, and I barely felt like writing... My whole world had been smashed this week when something happened, but I don't feel like talking about it... Yeah, it doesn't matter._

_So... I hope you enjoy this chapter... I really really like how it turned out, and hope you like it just as much as I do!_

_To read this chapter, all that is required is that you have read I - Negative Bullet up to chapter 45: The truth, just like with the two chapters before._

_Well, without further ado, let's unroll the past that he has forgotten... let it happen once more, shall we?_

_DISCLAIMER: I do not own Touhou, Team Shanghai Alice / ZUN does. However, Chôzen Gekido is mine._

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><p><em><strong>Chapter 03: Rise from the Ash ~ Igniting the immortal flame<strong>_

_About 21000 years ago,Japan - Mt. Fuji_

"Damn you...!", I hissed, raising my left arm in the last second. I let out a silent hiss as I felt fangs bore into my flesh, but as I shook my left arm, I managed to throw my attacker away. In front of me was a group of wolf youkai, their leader, a wolf on two legs.

"It's eat or being eaten, traitor of your species... To actually consider humans as equal to our species is disgusting! We youkai are superior to humans in any way.", snarled the wolf-leader, pointing his paw at me. "A youkai such as you, who does no longer hunt down the species we feast on, humans, has to be terminated, before your filthy lies reach the ears of other youkai...", continued the wolf-youkai.

But I let out a panicked chuckle. "Do you really think I am the only one to see human as beings, and not as food? You're actually wrong... I see neither human nor youkai as superior... in my world, there is nothing different from one another, nothing matters to me...", I chuckled, trying to look confident. _"...soon that is. As soon as I finish this path of nihilism, everything will be left behind... everything will become the same!"_, I thought, ignoring the sweat dripping from my head onto my shirt. I was sweating in panic...

"But you smell of fear, youkai... so much for everything being the same for you, huh?", snickered the leader of the wolf youkai, taking a step towards me, to which I took one back. "damn it...", I hissed, taking another step back... and then I realised that I had a cliff behind me. With wide eyes, I turned around and looked down, trying to find ground somewhere.

"Looks like we have you now... This is your end, traitor of the species youkai! We shall kill you now, and then hunt down the rest of those who have turned their backs on the nature... It's eat or be eaten!", exclaimed the wolf leader, moving his hand, to which his followers charged at me.

I managed to backhand the first one, after all, due to me being a higher species of youkai, I had more strength than them... but they had the adventage in numbers. The second wolf bit into my right arm, but I swung him off, throwing him into a wall. At the same time, two more hit me, one bit into my left arm, while the other one attacked my legs. Jumping above the second one, I swung my left arm, and threw the bitting wolf into his comrades.

"How long can you keep this up, traitor?", chuckled the leader of the wolves, gesturing once more to attack. "Damn it!", I hissed again, and ducked as one of them jumped at me. As he missed me, I heard one final howl, as he fell down into the depths that were behind me. A sick noise was carried up to my ears just a few seconds later.

He was followed by a second one that I threw after him, but as I was suddenly attacked by four at once, even I found myself overpowered. Falling to my knees due to the additional weight of four wolves biting into my shoulders and arms, I tried to shake them off, but found not the power to.

"Meet your end, traitor!", screamed the leader once again, moving his arm to gesture an attack. A wolf followed his command, and rushed at me. He jumped at me, hit me in the torso and caused me to fall backwards... where no ground was.

I felt how my body became victim to the law of gravity, but I managed to make a backflip, in which I lost the wolves. Now without them, I managed to extend a hand... and got the edge of the cliff, and was now hanging from it.

"He survived? I said kill him!", I heard the wolf leader shout. "You there, ge...URGH!" I heard the wolf leader growl in pain... was he just attacked by someone or something? This could be my advantage!

"You're okay?", asked a voice, and a petite hand was offered to me. Following the arm up to the head of the owner, I found... a little blackhaired and pale girl, wearing nothing but a torn, plain and grey-colored dress. Her raven-black hair reached down to her ankles, and she looked at me with mesmorizing brown eyes.

I slowly lifted my hand, to which she grabbed it forcefully, and pulled me up with surprising strength for such a little girl. Immediately, we turned back to back, her pressing her back against mine. "Why are you fighting for me?", I asked, looking through the row of wolves that surrounded us.

"No reason.", replied the blackhaired girl, as she looked at the wolves the other way. "You!", hissed a loud voice, and the leader of those wolves burst out of their lines. He was looking rather angry, by the way.

"Why are you interfering in our buisness, traveler? Are you... another youkai traitor?", hissed the leader, going on all fours while baring his teeth. "No... I am a human.", replied the blackhaired girl, chuckling. At that, the leader snarled. "Nonsense! You're too strong for a mere human...!" And the girl behind me chuckled yet again. "I never said I was a MERE human."

At that, the wolf leader stood back up, then gestured his underlings to attack once more. "Watch my back.", was the last I heard from the girl, before she lept forwards, attacking the wolves storming at her, while I fought with some myself.

As I ducked beneath one and kicked another one over the egde, I got a glance over to the blackhaired girl, who was holding off about five wolves at the same time, just by fighting with punching and kicking, a big smirk on her face and no sign of worry, despite her being surrounded by another bunch of wolves, as if the surroundings were oblivious to her.

As she kicked one wolf my way, I quickly dove to the side, and the wolf flew past me, right over the edge. "ENOUGH!" Hearing this, the wolves quickly retreated, ran behind their leader, who was moving towards us. "I shall handle this myself, I cannot afford to lose any more tribe members...!", he snarled, baring his teeth and claws. "Whadda ya say? Do you want him or want to share the kill?", asked the blackhaired girl, as if it was the most normal thing in the world to kill a youkai.

"Don't care.", I replied, surprised by her. "Fine.", snickered the girl, then clenched her fists. "I make short work of him.", she spoke, just before she charged at the wolf leader, who was at least twice her size while standing... She wasn't even anywhere near as tall as me, reaching up to the height of my shoulder.

She rushed at him, and as he swung his claw, she let herself fall onto her rear and slided past him, got a grip on his ellbow, and pulled herself onto his back. There, she grabbed his neck and began twisting it, while he was swinging his claws around furiously, trying to get her off his back. "Now! Finish him off!", exclaimed the little girl, and I quickly realised that she ment me, so I clenched my fists and rushed forwards.

A punch into his abdomen caused the wolf leader to double over, and the little girl made a jump into the air, and got his head with a spinkick as she landed. Then, she pushed off his head, and after a backflip, she landed aside me.

But the wolf leader wasn't yet finished off, he let out a gigantic scream of pain while he held his head. But as some of his underlings tried to jump into the fight, he turned around to them. "STAY BACK! THIS IS MY FIGHT!", he screamed, then turned back to us while baring his teeth once more.

"Ready?", asked the little girl, and I nodded. This time, as the wolf leader charged towards us, she let me go first, and I clashed with the leader, my right fist and his right colliding. For a second, nothing happened, but then, the wolf leader let out an unhumanic howl as his right arm burst apart, blood splattering over the ground.

He stumbled backwards, now lacking a right arm. The blackhaired girl rushed past me, jumped off the ground and kicked the leader right into his chin, making him stumble backwards... towards the cliff. "Now!", she shouted at me, and I nodded, then rushed at the leader.

With one final punch, it was all over. The leader fell over the edge, a sick noise following a few seconds later. Looking over the edge, I actually managed to see him lying atop a stone in a weird position. He wasn't going to return, I believe...

Turning around, the other wolves stared at me dumbfounded... and then ran away, whining and howling, bolting in fear. "Nice job." I turned to my right, and found the blackhaired girl sitting atop a stone, grinning at me.

As I walked over to her, her grin vanished, and she turned her head into the direction of the mountains peak, which was high above us, hidden behind clouds. "I believe I owe you a thanks... you saved me there.", I sighed, as I sat down in front of her on the ground, to which she turned back to me, looking curiously at me.

"What are you doing on Mt. Fuji if you cannot defend yourself? ...scratch that, I saw your power... why aren't you using it...?", hissed the girl, now less friendly, of course surprising me. "...personal reasons...", I muttered, and the girl nodded. "Still, what are you doing here?", she asked. "Personal reasons.", I sighed again, leaning back. "I see.", was all the girl said, as she stood up.

I watched in silence as she walked past me, towards a steep slope. But suddenly, she stopped. "Aren't you coming?", she asked, surprising me once again. "Excuse me?", I asked, blinking. "You have the same goal, right? You want to go to the top of the mountain as well, don't you?", she asked, turning to glare over her shoulder with a surprisingly cold expression for such a little girl.

I rose to my feet. "Yeah, that is right.", I replied, and the girl nodded. "Let's stick together then.", she huffed, then walked towards the steep slope again... so I rushed after her, and ran until I caught up to her.

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><p>"This should be enough for today. Let's camp here.", spoke the girl all of sudden after a long time of silence. Indeed, she was right, night had already fallen and we were on a small plane that was perfect for setting up a camp. "I'll get us some fire wood.", she suggested, turned away before I could say anything, and was gone once again. Letting out a loud sigh, I fell onto my rear, and opened up my bag.<p>

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><p>"Oh?" I looked up from my work as I heard the surprised voice of my travel companion. She was walking towards me with branches in her arms, while I grinned sheepishly at her. "You like it?", I asked, nodding to the two tents I had set up. "I am fairly surprised. You have two?", she asked, and I nodded. "Yeah, I always have a spare one with me. You can have it for tonight.", I chuckled. She nodded, then put the wood onto the ground, and kneeled down aside it, and began making a fire.<p>

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><p>It was a long time later that we sat around the camp-fire, staring into the flames. It was fairly dark around us and pretty cold, but luckily, the flame helped against both... but there was still something else. I had noticed that this girl had nothing with her other than her clothes, she had no backpack...<p>

"Hey... do you mind telling me your name?", I asked, rummaging through my backpack. "My name does not matter. Personal reasons, if you want so.", replied the blackhaired girl, still staring into the flames... until I suddenly extended her hand to her, holding something to her. "Here, have some.", I spoke.

She looked fairly surprised, altering in looking at me and the bread I held towards her. "I said take some. You must be hungry.", I smiled. Cautiously, the girl took the bread, continued looking at me doubtfully... and then turned her gaze back to the flames, nibbling on her bread.

"Why are you so nice to me?", she asked eventually, not taking her eyes off the flames, which seemed to amaze her. "Why not?", I chuckled. "You're a youkai. Youkai normally eat humans like me... so why are you nice me? I am a human.", she replied, not looking at me. "I'm different.", I chuckled. "I am not like other youkai... I see humans as living beings as well... Why should I treat humans different? Besides, I certainly have no craving for human flesh.", I explained, taking a bite of my own chunk of bread.

"I don't understand fully... but I guess I can trust you.", she muttered, glancing up from the flames. "My name is Chôzen Gekido, by the way.", I spoke, to which she glanced at me. But she stayed silent, turned back to the flames, and began eating once again.

"How long haven't you eaten something? It doesn't look like you just arrived on Mt. Fuji today...", I asked, and the girl turned to me. "About three weeks.", she muttered, surprising me. "You... shouldn't you have starved?", I asked, blinking. "I... do not starve...", whispered the girl, looking back into the flames.

"I see... I don't understand, but it is not my place to ask you that.", I replied, then turned to look into the flames as well. "If we go to sleep soon and start continuing our way early, we can reach the peak of Mt. Fuji tomorrow.", spoke the girl, as she stood up, her gaze still on the fire. "Indeed.", I replied, looking at her. But instead of going to sleep, she continued to look into the flames.

"Aren't they beautiful? Flames... they burst of courage, illuminate the world with their aggressiveness and banish the darkness... They burn who they hate, and salvage those who they love... they end lives, but from the ash is created something anew... Nothing else can represent the cycle of life so well...", muttered the girl, her eyes becoming glassy and nostalgic. "True, isn't it?", I asked, and she nodded.

Then, she turned around. "I want to be a flame too... I could protect those that I love and end those that I hate... my courage would never shatter and I could accept my fate so much better...", she whispered, before she crawled into the spare tent, surprising me once more. I stared for a while longer at the tent, then turned once again to the flames... "The cycle of life... The path of nihilism spoke of it...", I whispered.

Eventually, I stood up, and with a bottle of water from my bag, I extinguished the flames, before I crept into my tent as well.

* * *

><p>Somewhere else, nearby, feral eyes snapped open.<p>

* * *

><p>It was silent again as we had gathered our (or mostly my) stuff and continued our path. It was around midday as the peak finally got into sight... "We're almost there.", I commented, and my travel companion nodded.<p>

"Hey... I have one question, though... You don't have to answer it, but it bothers me.", I finally began, and the girl stopped. "yeah?", she asked, raising an eyebrow. "Why do you let me travel with you? I mean... you don't seem to be a person that likes having someone around her... you seem to be a lonewolf to me...", I spoke. And at that, she actually began to laugh.

"Not bad! Yeah, I do like being alone better than having someone around, but... I let you travel with me... because you remind me of someone... a man I once knew... he was so nice to me too... and he even looked a little like you...", chuckled the girl, as she resumed to walk. And though I knew better, I asked the question that came to my mind. "You said you 'knew' someone... what happened to him?"

Again, the girl stopped, then turned around. "I pushed him off a cliff for something important he had.", she replied with a straight face, making me flinch madly. Turning my head a little, I saw that I stood near an edge, and quickly jumped away from it. Behind me, I could hear her chuckle. "Don't worry... It was a one-time thing... the thing he carried was unique, and I needed it.", replied the girl, then resumed to walk up the hill.

She left me standing there, more surprised about her... as I looked after her, I wondered who and what she was... a little girl, she was certainly not... her appearance deceiving... Eventually, I let out a sigh, and ran after her.

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><p>Finally, after continuing our way for what seemed to be forever, I helped the girl up a steep slope, and then followed her by climbing after her. As I stood up and looked around, I found myself finally at my goal: the top of the mountain!<p>

But where was the girl? Hadn't I just helped her up here?

Letting my eyes trail over the flat surface of this mountain, my eyes quickly laid onto the girl... and my eyes became wide and my mouth fell open in awe as they laid onto the gigantic, legendary bird... the reason I had climbed this mountain for, the legendary phoenix, the bird that ignites upon reaching a certain age, falls into ash, and rises from it once again, the very bird that represented the cycle of life...!

Cycle of life... that was what I was here for. The path of perfect balance, the path of nihilism, mentioned that one goal was to find the creature that represents the cycle of life itself... the only creature I knew that fit to this description was before me, the phoenix, the bird of fire...

But as I looked down to the feet of the gigantic bird, at least ten-times my size, I realised that I probably wasn't as close to my goal as I had thought... that girl, she stood at the feet of the gigantic bird, looked up to it... was she... aiming for the same?

"What are you staring at me for?" I cringed as the girl spoke up without even turning around. "Chôzen Gekido... your aim was to reach the phoenix, wasn't it? Why?" The girl had a glare upon her face as she turned around, her fists clenched.

"It was.", I replied. "I see... so we had the same goal, didn't we?", she asked, taking a step towards me, but I did not turn away, did not take a step back. And eventually, the girl stood right before me. "Too bad...", she whispered.

"Too bad that only one of us can have him...", she finished, and I looked down at her, not daring to blink. "Do you walk the path of nihilism?", I spoke, asking the question that bugged me. At that, the girl turned around, her long hair whirling up a little, and I watched as the girl walked back to the feet of the phoenix.

"No."

I took a step back in surprise, actually having expected her to say yes. "Not? Why are you here for it then?", I shouted out, taking a step forwards. The girl stopped at the feet of the phoenix, then turned to look over her shoulder.

"Its time has come." I rose my eyebrows at that. "What?", I asked in confusion. "The phoenix... its time has come... eternity is a torture. It has ressurected so many times that it suffers... Its silent cries echo through the world... but can only be heard by the ears of another immortal being.", as she spoke, the girl extended a hand to the eternal bird, which bowed down. As the girl touched the giant birds beak and began petting it, the phoenix let out a content noise.

"Eternity means to be lonesome... means to watch those that we love die... a curse upon those that strived for eternity... Immortality is ill, sick. It leaves scars, make people lonely and breaks their minds more than once... each death one watches breaks his mind, leaves a scar... eventually, the person isolates, to avoid the sorrow that they feel when one dies... that what they can not.", spoke the girl, and continued stroking the phoenixs beak.

"Eternity does not give satisfaction, instead, it gives sorrow. Life and death do not matter to them, they exist to suffer... lonely, even if they are with other immortals. Forever... is a long time, a time that breaks minds...", finally, the girl removed her hand from the eternal birds beak, and turned to me. "Are you immortal? Is that the reason you have come here?", asked the girl, making me frown. "No.", I replied.

"I am mortal...", I replied. "I see...", muttered the girl, then sighed. "Phoenix of the Mt. Fujiwara... I have followed the cries only I can hear to offer you what you desire... the end of loneliness... for us both, the eternity is a curse we do not want... You came to exist to live the eternity, I...", she trailed off, hissed.

"...I have committed a sin. I have killed to gain eternity... I have killed to acquire the hourai elixir before it was terminated...! I have acquired eternity to suffer, to restore the honor of the Fujiwara-Clan, that has been taken when Kaguya Houraisan rejected my father! To restore it, I shall make Kaguya Houraisan suffer! Phoenix! Hear me! Let us become one, let us leave back the loneliness of eternity!", cried the girl out, much to my surprise and shock. I had expected a strange background behind her, but such a background...!

Well, the bird rose up to its full height, stared down at the girl I had travelled with for a while... then let out a loud cry and extended its wings, fluttering with them until it rose from the ground. As the wind increased with the fluttering, I had to lift my arms to cover my face. But the girl did not move at all when the bird began to flutter, though she was closer to it.

As I finally could lower my arms, the gigantic bird had taken into the air and was circling the mountain, gaining speed constantly. The air behind it was wavering, as its feathers had ignited, and a tail of fire followed it as it picked up speed, then flew away from the mountain... only to make a drastic turn, charging right at me and the young girl.

I lifted my arms once again, readied myself to jump aside in case it was charging at me... when I noticed that it was aiming at the girl... and was turning into nothing but flames. The spectacle in front of my eyes was glorious, incredible, the giganitc bird turning into nothing but flames... but it was still charging at the girl! And she... extended her arms, as if to give him a hug? A gigantic fireball?

I was about to shout something... when the fireball hit the girl, pushed her across the whole area. Her feet dug into the ground, leaving back a trail in the ground before she came to a stop, hugging herself... and the flame burning in front of her chest, which began to vanish within her... getting smaller... smaller... smaller! The phoenix had vanished... was it... was the girl absorbing it, the legendary, giganitc bird of the cycle of life...?

Eventually, she threw her head back, her body tensed and she cried out into the heavens as she ignited. Her body began to burn, smoke leaving her mouth as she cried out... and her hair, once raven-black, turned grey like ash... then white as snow... before it gained a light purple hue. As she opened her eyes to look into the heavens as the fire died down... I saw that the brown of her eyes had turned into mesmorizing crimson red.

* * *

><p>As she fell to her knees, the fire extinguished, the girl was panting madly. Her clothes had burned off, leaving nothing but a girl without any cover. She was on one knee, one hand placed on the ground to support her.<p>

Amazed by what had happened before my eyes, I didn't even notice that my bag had fallen to the ground and had fallen open... a single object had rolled out, a heart, made of stone. It was moving, shaking slightly as I watched the girl pant... I first had to digest what had happened before me... when it happened.

"I SHALL HAVE MY REVENGE!" I twirled around, lifted my arm, barely managing to block the wolf leader coming at me. He landed on the ground, sled back, giving me a look at him. Several bones were sticking out of his skin, his right eye was completely white and empty, and his right arm hung in a strange way to his body. But he had become muscular, much more muscular than before.

"If not for my ability to enhance my muscles, I would've died! But I shall not end until I killed you two bastards!", he growled, went onto all fours, prepared to jump at me. I rose my arms, clenched my fists, awaited his attack... and it came.

He jumped off the ground, aiming at pushing me down, gnawing on my bones... but it never went to that. As he was in mid-air, it happened. "Heed me, flames! Burn and take! Take life! End it!", exclaimed someone... then, I heard someone flicking his fingers...

...and the wolf-leader ignited in midair, landed on the ground, burning to his death. He was screaming in agony, rolling around, but the flames seemingly had no end... until all of his skin and flesh had burned off, leaving nothing but bones.. which turned into dust.

Upon twirling around, I prepared to attack... but only found the girl from before, standing there in a cocky way. "Saved your ass twice now, Chôzen Gekido.", she chuckled, an evil smirk on her face as she stood there, only her now light-purple, almost white hair covering her.

She sat down onto the ground, let out a deep sigh. "I cannot believe what I feel right now... finally, the flames hear me...", she chuckled, looking down at her right hand. "What happened?", I asked, finally finding my voice back... and the girl turned to me.

"What just happened... was an eternal contract, a symbiosis between two immortals...", she chuckled, then sighed. "I think I have nothing to hide anymore...", she whispered. "My name is Fujiwara no Mokou, the last of the Fujiwara-Clan. That is what you wanted to know, right? My name... the rest, you should've heard already...", she spoke, closed her eyes... but as something soft landed upon her legs, she opened her eyes and looked questiongly at the object, then at me.

"Take it.", I instructed, to which she seemed even more confused... but then obeyed. I turned away as she stood up, looked at the clouds beneath us... then, I noticed the object laying at my feet. My eyes widened in shock and I quickly bowed down to take the object... the heart of negativity, the stone heart... the mystical object I had taken, the object required to complete the path of nihilism.

"You're way too nice to me." I flinched, then turned around and looked at Fujiwara no Mokou, now clothed in a loose, light-brown shirt that ended shortly beneath her hip. "You think?", I chuckled, and Fujiwara no Mokou huffed. "I do think that, Chôzen Gekido.", she chuckled.

"Also, just Chôzen is fine... Though many call me just Chô. I don't mind that.", I grinned. "You really are too nice to me... And that besides that I just stole something important from you in front of your very eyes.", she sighed, just as a hot aura was unleashed by her, representing red flames.

I let out a sigh, scratched the back of my head. "Yeah...", I sighed, looking down at the stone heart in my hand... when it suddenly shook violently, the same moment that the flame-like aura around Mokou turned into green fire. Mokou let out a gasp, took a step back... especially as the green fire began to move over onto the stone heart in my hands, which began to grew hot...

Eventually, the connection between the stone heart and Mokous aura stopped, and her fire turned back to its red color, while the heart in my hand cooled down again and stopped shaking. "...What just happened?", asked Fujiwara no Mokou, blinking... and I just chuckled. "... I don't think you stole anything from me. I have just archieved what I was here for... a major progress in the path of nihilism...", I whispered.

"The path of nihilism?", asked Fujiwara no Mokou, stepping up to me. "Yes... the path to perfect balance, the point where nothing matters, where everything is the same...", I explained shortly... and Fujiwara no Mokou rose an eyebrow. "Why would anyone want to see everything the same, to feel NOTHING?", asked Fujiwara no Mokou. "That is, Fujiwara no Mokou... A thing many won't understand, and the explanation... is as good as impossible... But I guess you could say... Because I am helpless... weak...", I sighed. "I don't understand.", spoke Fujiwara no Mokou, sitting down onto a rock.

I sighed, sat down onto another rock, and opened my bagpack, putting the heart back into it. "And I guess I won't ever understand. But I shall not barge into your decision and mind.", spoke Fujiwara no Mokou. "And call me Mokou, will ya?", huffed the immortal girl, to which I chuckled. "Alright.", I grinned, and the girl nodded in response, while I passed her some bread.

* * *

><p>"What is this? So the phoenix of Mt. Fuji has truly vanished?", asked a voice, making me flinch. It was a soft, female voice, melody to my ears... but apparently not to Mokous. Just a few hours ago, as we had set up our camp on top of Mt. Fuji after Mokou absorbed the phoenix, she had looked so peaceful... but now, an expression of utter terror was on her face. Also... how could someone have possibly heard of the phoenixs end in only a few hours?<p>

Suddenly, Mokou shot up and twirled around, her fists clenched and covered in fire. Two gigantic phoenix wings of fire had spread from her back, giving her an even more exalted look than before. "KAGUYA HOURAISAN! YOU DARE TO SHOW UP AFTER ONETHOUSAND YEARS!"

I rose an eyebrow and followed Mokous gaze until they reached a girl flying in the air above the mountain not all too far from us, wearing a pink shirt with many white bows, and a long, dark burgundy skirt decorated in yellow with bamboo and flower shapes. She had dark brown and very long black hair, just as long as Mokous was. So this was Kaguya Houraisan, the one that had destroyed the honor of the Fujiwara-Clan by rejecting Mokous father? What is she doing here?

"Oho, I see, I am already known... my reputation precedes me... or...", Kaguya Houraisan stopped, raising her sleeve to cover her mouth. "...do I know you, girl?", asked Kaguya Houraisan. Somehow... she seems like a princess to me... Could it be that... she is Kaguya, the legendary princess of the moon? What is she doing here?

"YEAH, I DO KNOW YOU...!", growled Mokou, took into the air. "I am Mokou of the Fujiwara Clan...! I am Fujiwara no Mokou!", snarled the ragining immortal. "Fujiwara...? That sounds familiar...", muttered the princess, her mouth still hidden behind her sleeve.

"It better does! You rejected my father, just because he couldn't manage to capture the five impossible requests!", snarled Mokou as she flew in front of Kaguya Houraisan, grabbed the princess of the moon by the collar, a burning fist raised and aimed at the lunatic princess face.

"...So you were that little girl... You look different.", chuckled Kaguya Houraisan, a demonic smile on her lips as she removed the sleeve from her mouth. "Guess what? I am different.", growled Mokou, a sadistic smile on her face. "And when I'm done with you, your face will look different as well!" Mokou swung her fist down at Kaguya Houraisan's face... when the princess freed herself and fell backwards, hitting Mokou in the face with her right foot.

As the fight began to unfold in the air high above Mt. Fuji, all I could do was to sit on a stone on top of the mountain, staring enviously at the fighting girls... The sun fighting the moon. "The princess of the moon, fighting the incarnation of the cycle of life and the sun... That will be an endless battle...", I whispered, then let my gaze trail down to my feet.

**_"I wish I could fly as well... or at least fight properly... I am disgusting, weak..."_**

* * *

><p>Mokou panted, looked into the heaven, her right fist clenched, while her left arm, broken, just lay on the ground. She was lying in a hole in the ground, a hole that had been created when Kaguya Houraisan beat her and threw her into the moutains peak.<p>

"...that didn't go too well, huh?", asked a voice, and upon turning her throbbing pain to the right, Mokou found her travelling companion Chôzen Gekido standing aside the hole she was in. "Not really...", muttered Mokou. Suddenly, a hand was offered to her. "Come on, I help you up."

Mokou grabbed the hand and let him pull her up. "Seems like your quest for revenge continues.", he commented, as he sat down onto a stone, while Mokou herself sat onto the ground crosslegged. "True... But I shall not give up until I finally feel satisfied with beating her up... but that might take a while...", chuckled Mokou, scratching the back of her neck. "But I will get my revenge, one or the other way.", chuckled Mokou, rising her head to look at the moon above them.

"Then our ways will part here, isn't that it?", asked Chôzen, to which Mokou nodded, without taking her gaze off the full moon. "I believe. You've got that path of nihilism to finish, and I have to get my revenge...", muttered Mokou, then looked down at him. "Where is your path leading you now?", asked Mokou.

"The next part of the verse of nihilism spoke about a dragon of hatred... located in a world of data... I will have to get what it means, but I believe the next point is hatred.", he sighed, standing up. "So the path is build up on emotions?", asked Mokou, standing up herself.

"No. But a main point is to get beyond the emotions, to leave them behind... You could say three-fourth of the path includes emotions... and how to get beyond them. One has to understand emotions to leave them behind... but I noticed a flaw." At that, Mokou rose an eyebrow. "A flaw? in the path of nihilism?", she asked, to which Chôzen nodded. "There is an emotion the path does not include getting beyond...", he muttered. "Which?", asked Mokou.

"Love.", he replied shortly. "Where will you go?", he asked. "Don't know. Kaguya is said to reside nowhere, so I have to find her first. May take a few thousands of years...", sighed Mokou. "You might go and search some pants first.", he snickered, and Mokou shot him a glare. Finally, she let out a sigh, and turned away.

"I do get the feeling that this is 'goodbye' and not 'farewell'.", she muttered. "Yeah, I get it too... So, until we meet again, huh?", he asked, and rose his fist. Mokou, who looked at him over her shoulder, chuckled, and turned back to him. "Yeah. I promise, until then, I will have found Kaguya!", she exclaimed, as she hit her fist against his, a ferocious look on both of their faces. "And hopefully some pants too!", he snickered, but then grinned ferociously. "...but I will have finished the path of nihilism until we meet again, that, I promise!", he exclaimed finally.

Mokou chuckled a last time, then turned away, to the north. "Until then, Chôzen Gekido. Keep yourself safe!", she spoke. "You too.", he replied, and turned to the south. "I don't need to, I am immortal.", she chuckled, not turning around. "Nontheless. Immortal does not mean that you should be different than a mortal... You have feelings, after all, Fujiwara no Mokou.", he spoke. "...true.", was the last thing Mokou said, before she began to walk towards the north, while he walked towards the south...

* * *

><p><em>1300 years ago, Gensokyo - Border near the bamboo forest of lost<em>

"...welcome to Gensokyo, Fujiwara no Mokou.", spoke a certain blonde woman with purple eyes, hovering on a rift in reality. "Tch.", was all Mokou replied, and walked past the sukima. "You are one of billions of beings I have chosen to enter this lands... you should be thankful.", chuckled Yukari Yakumo, following the immortal on her gap.

"I am only here because I have heard that Kaguya Houraisan has settled down here... I have to get revenge on her. It took me almost 20 000 years to find her, after all.", replied Mokou casually, her hands in the pockets of her red pants. "Causing trouble, aren't you? ...but you have heard right, Kaguya Houraisan has settled down here... I let her in, she isn't even aware that these are my lands, the lands of Yakumo 'the destroyer'...", cackled Yukari, but then grinned knowingly at the immortal of fire.

"But if you want to cause trouble in paradise, I could always throw you out, you know?", asked Yukari. "I never said I am not grateful to you for letting me in.", replied Mokou with a shrug. "This is not about gratidude, but about trouble... but since I love trouble, I leave you be. Until then, Fujiwara no Mokou. Toodeloo!", exclaimed Yukari... and gone was she. "Tch. She is indeed an old woman. No one says 'toodeloo' nowadays anymore.", muttered Mokou, walking towards the bamboo forest of lost, which lay in front of her, the moon high above it... until she noticed something to her right.

It was a person, his back towards her. It was a male, the frame definetly was that of a male. And though it had changed slightly, Mokou recognized it. "Impossible! Chôzen Gekido!", she exclaimed in glee. The person, formerly having looked towards a cliff with a hole in it, lowered its head, then turned around... making Mokou flinch and lose her smile.

While this was Chôzen Gekido, it was not the same. His usual smile had vanished, his lips nothing more than a straight line of indifference. His gaze was empty and rested on her, his eyes practically a void of emotions. He had his hands in his pockets as he walked towards her, not a single emotion in his expression.

"Fujiwara no Mokou.", he spoke, his empty voice making her cringe. Eventually, he reached her. "It has been almost 21 000 years.", he spoke, but not with the happiness one would expect of someone seeing a person again he hadn't seen in a long time. Instead, he spoke it without a single hint of emotions... aside indifference.

"Indeed it has... I see, you have finished the path of nihilism...", she muttered, looking at the person that she knew so well, yet not. "Indeed I have... about 20 000 years ago.", he replied. "I see...", she whispered, and he nodded. "You seem surprised. I have told you what effects it has... it brings the perfect balance, the indifference, the point where nothing matters...", he spoke, looking at the girl in front of him. "I am fairly surprised... but you have told me, that is right.", sighed Mokou, looking into the bamboo forest of lost. "And you held your promise as well, I see. You have found Kaguya Houraisan... she is here in Gensokyo.", he spoke.

"Yeah. She is.", replied Mokou. "Very well. I wish you good luck in getting your revenge. It is good to know that you are here as well... then our feeling was right all those years ago, we should meet again... right now.", he spoke, then turned away. "Until next time, Fujiwara no Mokou.", he added, then walked towards the cliff.

Mokou looked after him as he stepped up to the wall, crouched down, then jumped off the ground, and flew the cliff up. "...has he... just showed emotions?", she muttered, a little surprised that he seemed to care in the end. "...he said long ago that the path wasn't perfect, the emotion breaking it...", suddenly, realisation came over Mokou, and she blushed. "...was love?", she squealed. "He wouldn't!", she gasped.

"So it was true what I heard from the rabbits! The phoenix is back, how refreshing!" Mokou flinched, then turned to the first line of bamboo, where a certain princess stood. "I came as quick as I could... it is still your goal to get revenge, after all, right?", chuckled Kaguya Houraisan, stepping towards Mokou, who took a defensive stand. "And this time I will get it! I have followed rumors for over 20 000 years, until the moment I would find you...! And now that I have, I will finally kill you once and for all!"

"Killing me? ohohoho!", Kaguya began to laugh a little. "I am immortal, just like you are, have you forgotten?", chuckled Kaguya, then rose off the ground, the impossible request of Hourai, the jeweled branch of Hourai appearing from within her right sleeve. "But please, amuse me.", chuckled Kaguya, and grinned madly as Mokou rushed at her.

* * *

><p><em>600 years ago, Gensokyo - Bamboo Forest of the Lost, Mokous Camp<em>

"A radio?", asked Chôzen Gekido, making Mokou cringe, not only because he was suddenly behind her, leaning over her shoulder, but also because his voice did not raise towards the end of the question, like it would with a normal person.

"Yes, I bought it from the half-youkai shop-keeper that Keine Kamishirasawa introduced me to.", replied Mokou, calming down. "You are quite fond of Keine Kamishirasawa, the history youkai. It is good to see that you have made at least one friend.", he spoke, and though it sounded caring in the context, the voice sounded the same as always.

"Seems you care.", snickered Mokou, putting some batteries that she bought along the radio into it. "Not really.", he replied, and though the context sounded cold, Mokou knew that it was not ment to be cold. "Good thing that I have been long enough in the outside world to understand human technology.", she muttered, as she began twisting on a wheel... until the radio suddenly began to blare music loudly.

**"BURN MY DREAD!"**, screamed a voice in the radio. Mokou flinched and covered her ears, while Chôzen remained standing behind her, looking indifferent as always at the radio. Then, he extended a hand towards it, and turned a second wheel, to which the music stopped being too loud.

"Ah... thanks.", muttered Mokou. "No problem.", he replied. Mokou nodded, then turned back to the radio. "Hey, the song is actually not bad.", commented Mokou after a short moment. "Indeed it is.", replied Chôzen, looking indifferently at the radio. "Was that just an emotion, Chô?", snickered Mokou, but he simply sighed. "The path is not as perfect as it was said... The perfect balance works nearly perfect. Nearly. Sometimes, emotions may come through... weakened, but they may come."

"I see.", snickered Mokou, then clenched her fists. "Hey, this song gets me really pumped up! Whadda ya say, how about a sparring?", asked Mokou, her fists ignited. "Why not?", he spoke, then took a few steps back. "Ready?", asked Mokou, a big grin on her face. "Sure.", he replied, and Mokou charged at him.

* * *

><p>"How again did this happen?", asked Mokou, snarling, one of Chôzens arms around her neck. "Got... beaten up by Mima in a sparring with her.", he growled, yet indifferent. "And who exactly is Mima? She has to be powerful to beat up a person with the power of negativity inside it.", snarled Mokou. "The... Akuryou... of Twilight... the evil spirit of reincarnation...", coughed Chôzen, wipping some blood off his face. "Geez, hang in there, Eientei isn't far from us anymore.", sighed Mokou.<p>

"Eientei? Isn't that the place... Kaguya Houraisan lives?", he asked. "It is. But I have a grudge towards Kaguya, not that sadistic lunar pharmacist Eirin or her pet.", chuckled Mokou. "Tch.", made Chôzen.

After a while of limping through the bamboo forest of lost, Chôzen managed eventually to see a house. "That is Eientei?", he asked, growling in pain. "Yep. That is Eientei.", replied Mokou, just as they reached the door.

The immortal of fire knocked three times, and though it happened nothing at first, it was a few moments later that a voice could be heard from inside the house. "Geez, that Mokou! Appearing here at god-knows what time!", complained the voice, and a second later, a light-purple-haired girl with white, rumpled bunny ears opened the door.

"Geez, who is it this time? Another villager beaten up by youkai?", asked the bunny girl. "No, in fact, this time, it is a youkai beaten up by an evil spirit.", chuckled Mokou, nodding towards the taller guy leaned onto her. "A youkai?", asked the bunny-girl, apparently surprised.

"Indeed. And a close friend of mine, so tell your sadistic master that she better does not experiment on him, even if he is an 'interesting subject', or I may pay a visit to her pharmacy and try to experiment myself on how good some medicines can burn or blow up. Tell her that, will ya?", snickered Mokou, to which the bunny-girl went pale. "I will!", she exclaimed, put the other free arm of Chôzen around her neck, and with Reisens help, brought him into the infirmary.

* * *

><p><em>Today, Gensokyo - Bamboo Forest of the Lost, Eientei, Kaguya Houraisans room<em>

"Kaguya! Kaguya!" Said princess continued looking at the ceiling of her room with a blank stare. "Aw, damn that girl! Heed me, fire!" Kaguya suddenly blew up. PICHUUUN!

The immortal returned to her usual appearance after bursting into sparkles, then turned to Mokou. "Hm?", she asked, blinking. "Don't 'Hm?' me, and don't space out on me! What the hell?", asked Mokou, growling. "Oh... sorry... But... you know, I... I somehow was just reminded of how we first met after you became immortal... on top of Mt. Fuji, right after you went into a symbiosys with the phoenix...", muttered Kaguya.

Mokou blinked a few times, then frowned. "Strange... I have just remembered that too...", muttered Mokou. "Do you know what I remembered as well?", asked Kaguya, turning to Mokou. "Hm?", mumbled Mokou, raising from her futon. "That youkai of negativity, Chôzen Gekido... he was there too...", replied Kaguya, standing up as well.

Looking over to the immortal of fire, Kaguya found that Mokou had a self-pleased smirk on her face. "Indeed he was...", she whispered, turning towards the door to the corridor. "He has always been.", she added. Kaguya rose an eyebrow at that. "What?", she asked, but Mokou simply opened her eyes and turned to look over her shoulder, a playful grin all across her face.

"First one to reach the dining room gets more of Reisens delicious cooking!", exclaimed Mokou, then rushed out of the room. "WHAAAAT? Not fair! Come back, Mokou, you had a headstart! You cheater!", screamed Kaguya, rushing after her immortal friend.

How odd it was, that eternal rivalry eventually turned into such a beautiful friendship... Or was it already more? Keine Kamishirasawa, standing just outside Kaguyas room, would like to know that, as she stared enviously after the two as they ran down the corridor into the other direction, never noticing her.

"Why... Mokou? What has she that I do not have and... why do I feel almost the same for her as for you...?", muttered Keine jealous and confused. "...paru paru...", was the last she muttered, before she turned around, and walked into the darkness of the corridor, away from her immortal friend... and love interest.

* * *

><p>Somewhere else, Chôzen stired in his sleep, pain shot through his body, as the memory of Mokou became nothing more than a black surrounding... only to take the shape of New York City, America, 1800 years ago, fog all across it... and a certain blonde woman with a pink parasol standing not all too far from him, her back towards him.<p>

* * *

><p><em>Yeah, and that's it for this chapter.<em>

_What do you think about it? I like it. It explains how Chôzen met Mokou, and later, Eirin (though she is not physically in here) and Reisen Undogein Inaba. But it mainly fixes on how Chôzen and Mokou met._

_Yeah, so I have my own theory at how Mokou got her powers and how her hair turned light-purple... In Cage in Lunatic Runagate, she was shown to have black hair when she was mortal... _

_And yeah, we have several time jumps here, don't we? That is, because I only chose to display major events, rather than typical "everyday" things... Look, I even remembered to shortly mention the scene where Mokou got that radio mentioned in I-Negative Bullet! I still wonder how I remembered to write that, usually, I forget such things ~ Silly me! ;-D_

_But yeah, hope you enjoyed the chapter. If you have any questions, feel free to ask them, I think it is important to clear any doubts._

_And yeah... next update may take a while. I'm going at a slower pace now, I have several things to do, I have school the whole week, I'm out of the house at 6 AM and do not return before 3 PM... And then, I have to do homework, often 3 hours or so... and on saturdays, I am usually working... today was an exception. On sundays, I'm usually chilling or playing videogames... but I also started writing chapters on Sundays... so expect a chapter for 0-NM and I-NB once a week... towards the weekend, I guess. Don't be mad at me if I leave you waiting once in a while, but I have a life other than just writing chapters. I don't accuse anyone, but a friend of mine has been annoyed quite often by people cause he doesn't update every few hours or days._

_Yeah, anyways, that should be it. Guess who Chôzen remembers next time? _

_And well... Like I said before, I hope you enjoyed this chapter and story so far... Until the next update!_

_So long!_


	4. 4 Creation & Negation

_So here we are again... It's always such a pleasure (*cough*reference*cough*)_

_This time, we go back in time... again. Who will Chôzen meet? What memory does return to him this time?_

_In a few paragraphs, you will see..._

_To understand this chapter, you have to read I-Negative Bullet up to Chapter 45: The truth, just like with the chapters before._

_DISCLAIMER: I do not own Touhou, Team Shanghai Alice / ZUN does. However, Chôzen Gekido is mine._

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><p><em><strong>Chapter 04 - Creation &amp; Negation ~ The beginning meets the end<strong>_

_About 1800 years ago, America - New York City_

"Next stop: 5th Avenue, 53rd Street." The train began to slow down as it neared the subway station,and I rose my gaze from the ground. Rising from my seat, my eyes scanned the surroundings. A brightly lit train filled to the brim with humans in casual clothing, though most humans wore buisness suits and were talking to someone over their cellphone.

Finally, as the train came to a stop, I pushed some of them out of the way and left the train. Slipping my hands into the pockets of my jeans, I stood still and watched the train leave... then, I turned my void eyes back to wherever I was.

I don't know what made me enter, or leave the train... I have no goal... every place I come to is exactly the same, crowded, noisy, boring. So I couldn't care less where I was... I didn't even care how I ended up in America, to be honest... the past centuries, which had passed me in a blur, had brought me to many places... or maybe it have already been thousands of years? I don't care about time...

I waited for a second longer, then closed my eyes, slipped the my hands deeper into my pockets, and re-opened my eyes, which immeadiately fixed on a staircase leading upwards... where they lead, I don't care. Up and down is the same, as there is no middle. The earth as it is hovers in a giant void... there is no up and down too, so why should here be up and down? Gravity is merely a word, after all...

Suddenly, something impacted with the back of my head. "Oh? Oh, excuse me, I'm terribly sorry!" Hearing a female speak up, I turned around and found a woman that human would probably call 'as beautiful as an angel'... but neither is there such a thing as beauty, nor have they ever truly seen angel.

They associate angel with holiness... not knowing that angels are only youkai as well. Also, the word angel always reminded me of those stone statues, back in the tomb of negativity, which I had seen as 'creepy' before I turned indifferent. (1)

The woman in front of me was different from the humans around me though. She had long, blonde hair with red ribbons tied at the lower end, and wore a deep purple dress, long white gloves and a pink mob cap. Leaned onto her shoulder, she had a pink lace parasol, probably the thing she hit me with, and she was currently hiding her lower face behind a paper fan. But the most striking feature she had were her purple eyes, with which she stared at me right now.

"I am incredibly sorry, I accidentaly hit you with my parasol when I turned around.", she spoke in perfect english, and bowed down... allowing me shortly to glimpse behind her paper fan, with which she hid a demonic smirk.

"I hope I can make it up to you. How about we search us a good café somewhere around and have a nice coffee together? How does that sound?", she asked as she stopped bowing... this time, speaking in perfect japanese. So she was from Japan... but spoke english like it was her native tongue... "How does that sound?", she repeated, exposing her face fully, showing a warm smile while she closed her eyes, letting it look even more warm... for someone else than me, possibly.

Well, I continued to look at her for a few more seconds... and then simply turned around, returning to walk towards the staircase I was going to ascend before. Other beings do not mean a thing to me. I do not search friends, I have none. A friend is a person like every else, nothing makes it special.

Finally, my feet set onto the staircase, and I began ascending it with the humans around me, which didn't even believe me to be different than them. The era of youkai has ended long ago. Humans no longer believe in magic and youkai... it was no era for youkai indeed.

Though I look little different from them, they don't ask. In my earliest years, having bilious-green glowing eyes and black hair with a green shine to it would've immeadiately identified me as a youkai... Nowadays, they only dismiss that as having dyed hair and some freaky contact lenses... however, I still have to hide the green flame, the split part of my soul... humans do not like it when they see something they can not explain with science...

Suddenly, I felt something thin and pointy at my back. "Okay mate, if ya life means something to ya, you better hand over all of your money and other possessions...", whispered a husky voice into my right ear. Then, I felt something cold at the left side of my neck. "Yeah, ya better listen to the boss...", whispered a second voice to my left.

"I do not have any possessions, neither do I have money. It is not worth anything, even if you humans tend to believe that. I don't care about money.", I spoke, my empty gaze on the far wall of the room, the stairs I had just ascended behind me.

"Don't lie to us, stranger! We were in the same train as ya were... and to get in there, ya have to buy a ticket...", hissed the 'boss', to which I turned my gaze to him. "I don't buy tickets. I don't buy anything, as possessing and not possessing something is trivial. I do not care about possessions.", I replied, careful to neither let the split part of my soul escape my mouth, nor make it visible to them.

"Don't lie to him!", growled the second man to my left, the one holding the gun to my throat, while I still felt the boss holding the knife against my back. "I go where I go, I don't let you humans hinder me in anything, I don't care about species or any worth... as nothing has worth. I walk, no direction in mind, go from place to place, and yet all is the same.", I replied to them, which clearly pissed them off.

"If ya think ya can play some game with us, stranger, then...", began the boss, but I interupted him. "...I see where this is going." He rose an eyebrow as I opened my mouth finally completely, letting the split part of my soul escape it. Immeadiately, both the boss and his henchman took a step away from me, and several humans turned to me.

"Humans... Humanity is simply a word, an excuse for faults...", I spoke as humans took steps away from me. "Not that any other species is better. Youkai, demons, humans and anything else... they are all the same. Beings giving into the seven great sins, the seven deadly sins.", I spoke...

...and before either of them could react, I was aside that henchman and rose my hand to the height of his face. And flicked against his forehead. But that alone was enought to throw him through the complete room into a wall, which broke into pieces as he impacted with it.

With a second, much quicker step, I was aside that boss before he even could realise what just happened, and kicked him. He had not as much luck as his henchman, as the moment that my leg impacted with his abdomen, his spine snapped and his body collapsed... in two pieces.

As panic broke out, the humans bolting in fear, I simply stared down at the boss, formerly so high and mighty, and now only a broken doll on the ground. Then, I stepped over his remains, just as the last light vanished from his eyes. Life and death is meaningless, it is the same, simply two words.

Suddenly, something hit me over the head, and as I turned around, I found a familiar face behind me. "Oh, I am utterly sorry, I must have hit you with my... oh, it's you again.", smiled the blonde woman as she recognized me.

"Where were you all of sudden? I was just about to invite you to a coffee to make it up to you... seems like I owe you two now!", laughed the woman, closed her eyes as she held her stomach in laughter... and I just turned away and left her behind once again.

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><p>Standing on the corner to the next street, I watched as the police finally arrived and stormed down into the subway station, which I had long left. Waiting for another second, I watched as several more armed men ran down into the station, many of them speaking over the radio. They wouldn't find me...<p>

Finally, I turned away, the flame long in my mouth again, and began to walk through the streets, no goal in mind. I didn't even have to walk, staying in one place or going around made no difference, walking to a place that is the same as the one you are is pointless, after all. But something made me walk, what exactly I do not know... it was just something I had not had in many, many centuries... a feeling.

Maybe I had gotten tired of the path of nihilism and follow the only feeling that is left within me, but I don't care if it is like that. The path of nihilism was said to be irreversible, and just because of one flaw that had not been mentioned, I do not give up on that path... even if I had already finished it, it is still continuing, it continues until the end of time for me...

"Ah, how in gods name could I lose them? What if Ayeka does something to him! I cannot let that stuck-up princess get him!" Hearing an angry woman growl and several humans scream in panic, I looked up and found a woman hovering shortly over the ground, red energy gathering in her right, clenched fist. "I've just been searching for some sake, turn my back to them and they're gone!"

She had long, practically gravity-defying, cyan hair that was spiked towards the back, and was about 1,75m in height. As she looked around, her golden, feline eyes glared at practically everything, making people jolt or run. In her mouth, she had sharp, little canines that gave her a demonic appearance with her current snarl.

She wore a black dress that went down to her ankles, with a single line at the front and a pair of black boots. Also, she had two red earrings, one on each side, which were apparently some dark-red gems...

"You over there! You with those freaky eyes!", she exclaimed and hovered towards me. "Have you seen a little girl with cyan hair in two pigtails, a stuck-up princess, two wooden logs, something in between a cat and a rabbit, an old man and his useless son Nobuyuki, a blonde clumsy woman and a teal-haired officer around? Or a handsome, tanned guy with dark hair, with mesmorizing dark eyes?", she asked.

"I have not.", I replied simply, to which she went into another fit of anger. "When I get that princess, I'm gonna...!", she screamed out, but was interrupted when someone else called. "Ryoko! What the hell are you doing? We are over here!" The glare faded from the womans face and she twirled around. "TENCHI!", she screamed, before she rushed towards a group not all too far from me.

"I missed you, Tenchi!", whined the feline woman. "Ryoko, we were just down the street... We lost you barely three minutes ago!", replied the guy, looking rather uneasy. "I was worried to death about you! Don't run off like that again...!", continued that woman, which was apparently called Ryoko, as she placed her arms around the guys neck, and then turned her gaze to a darkblue haired woman.

"Especially not with her!", she growled. "What? I have you informed that I did not do anything, you old mummy!", snarled the other woman back at her. "I am not a mummy! I am barely 2000 years old!", growled Ryoko. "It's 5000 years, you lying scum!" "2000, stuck-up!", was the last I heard of Ryoko, as I simply turned away from them, and continued my path, walking around a corner.

_**Was she a youkai too?**_

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><p>"And this is the St. Patricks Cathedral! Awesome, isn't it?" Hearing someone, I lifted my gaze once more, and spotted a small group of tourists from all kind of countries following a tour guide not all to far from me.<p>

Just then, something hit me over the head for the only-god-knows-how-much time this day. Would I've been a normal being, I would possibly be annoyed or something, but me being me, I simply turned around and looked indifferently at the blonde woman.

"Oh, I am utterly sorry, I must have hit you accidentaly with my par... hey hey! I found you again!" "What do you want? Are you stalking me?", I asked, causing her to flinch... apparently at my tone of voice, or rather, the lack of exactly that.

"I am not stalking anyone... I guess it is simply fate that we run into each other so often!", she chuckled. "Fate? There is no such thing as fate.", I spoke, and turned away. "Oh my. So you are one of those that write their own story, huh?", she asked, chuckling, to which I simply looked over my shoulder.

"I have no story. Without fate, present and future, one cannot write down anything. Furthermore, everything written down regarding me is immeadiately wiped out of existence."

Without any other word, I began to walk once more, leaving the blonde woman behind, which was stunned in shock, completely silent and unmoving. With her left behind, I walked down the street until I reached the end of it, and turned around a corner... when something impacted with my head, this time, my face.

"Oh, I am utterly sorry, you must be so stupid that you ran into my parasol.", I heard a voice chuckle, and as I stood up, I found the woman in front of me... despite the fact that she had until now just been BEHIND me, at the other end of the street I just left behind. "Well, if you don't feel like talking about literature or the theory of relativity, then let us at least sit down and drink a coffee together... what do you say? That sounds fine?", she asked... making even ME of all people groan. "Fine."

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><p>Only half an hour later, we sat outside a café, having just received what we ordered, namely a coffee and a piece of cake for the woman, and a simple black coffee for me. I didn't even bother to put anything into it. I don't care for such things as taste, as taste is relative.<p>

"So...", began the blonde woman, as she slowly drifted a spoon through the black depths of her coffee. "May I ask for your name first?", she asked. "Gekido Chôzen.", I replied. (2) "Oh? Japanese? Are you from Japan?", she asked, raising an eyebrow. "Yes and no. It is the name I have given myself.", I replied. And suddenly, the woman broke into laughter.

"No need to hide what you are... I know very well that you are a youkai." "I see...", I replied, and closed my eyes. "I named myself after my 'birth'. The first thing I remember is awaking in the middle of Japan, thus I have chosen a japanese name that represents that which has created me... the ignorance and wrath of humanity.", I explained.

"I see...", chuckled the blonde female, as she withdrew her spoon from her coffee, and put it into her mouth. "I am Yukari Yakumo... We are in the western world, so let's behave that way.", she snickered. (2)

"Yukari Yakumo...", I repeated, watching her as she took a sip of her coffee, her eyes closed. "Can you guess why I knew that you are a youkai?", she asked in an amused way after she put down her coffee and opened her eyes just a little. "You are one yourself...", I muttered, and Yukari nodded. "I am."

"So, Chôzen Gekido... you surely must ask yourself why I was so... persuasive.", she chuckled. "Persuasive? Rather stalking.", I replied, then took a sip of my own coffee. "Stalking is such a rude word...", sighed the other youkai, as she turned her attention to her cake. "But the only right one.", I replied and put my cup back onto the table.

"Anyways, I've been following you quite a time now... I am amazed at your powers and very interested in you... only your personality might take a little while for me getting used to it.", she chuckled, then closed her eyes, "...I have this dream... a dream of a land of peace, a paradise if you want so, a place where youkai and human, but of course every other species as well, can co-exist... you would be a very interesting addition to it... sadly, I have not managed to make this dream reality, but with your help...", she whispered, and leaned closer.

"I have no interest in being part of your ant farm.", I replied. "Oh, you misunderstand... I have interest in you... great interest...", she breathed, and leaned even closer, "...you could even say I am very attracted to you... Of course, if you'd join me, I would...reward you..." As I suddenly grabbed her right wrist, she gasped and looked shocked at me, apparently having not even seen me move.

"Listen up, Yakumo... I do not care about anything, but I am not careless. I see the world as it is, lying, filthy, and betraying... and yet everything is the same. I do not need a second one like that.", I hissed, then let go of her arm, stood up, and walked away, leaving her back at the café.

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><p>But I should soon learn that Yukari Yakumo does not give up, and goes beyond every boundary to do so... quite literally, as I soon ran into her again on my way through Germany. It should be only a brief encounter, barely anything more than a *hello' and a 'goodbye', but during the short conversation, she should tell me of her powers to bend reality by surpassing every boundary, leaving even me quite shocked...<p>

...but apparently, she wasn't feeling much different towards my power... Yukari Yakumo and I were night and day, she created, and I ended it. What she saw as white, I saw as black... but like Yin and Yang, we would always move into the same direction. And one day, it was time. The fateful day had come as a gap appeared in front of me, and let a single, neatly folded piece of paper fall. Written on it were merely 17 words that should change my life forever...

"Gensokyo has been created. Meet me in Tokio, Japan, in exactly one week in the late afternoon."

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><p><em>1300 years ago, Gensokyo - Boundary, Yakumo Residence<em>

"Here you go, Mister Gekido.", spoke the kitsune as she placed a cup of black coffee in front of me. I nodded towards her, more of respect than truly meaning. "Sure reminds of the first time that we met, isn't that right?", chuckled Yukari Yakumo, who sat oppossed to me on the other side of the table, her spoon making soft noises as it hit the cup while Yukari moved it through the depths of her coffee.

"Indeed.", I replied, closing my eyes. "And? Was it so bad that you came to Gensokyo?", asked Yukari, giving me the knowing look. "It was not.", I replied, thinking of one certain thing... or rather person.

"Ah... yes.. I have noticed the occasional glances towards her whenever she enters the room, or how you change around her... That shinigami sure caught your eye.", chuckled Yukari, taking a sip from her coffee. She hadn't changed at all...

"Is the coffee to your liking, Miss Yukari?", asked Ran, as she approached her mistress. "Yes, it is fine Ran.", replied Yukari, ruffling Chen's hair with her left hand, as the nekomata lay on her stomach aside Yukari, making one wonder if Chen was really Ran's shikigami or just their pet... (3)

"I also have noticed that Yuyuko is quite fond of you, Chôzen. Be careful, your ladykiller-self could make her fall for you.", chuckled Yukari, and sipped on her tea. "And I would just deny her like I denied you 500 years ago.", I replied, a grin forming on my lips.

Yukari flinched, her eyes wide, before she pulled the cup of hot coffee away from her, coughing. The hot brew spilled onto her dress as she coughed, her cup shaking violently. "Yukari-sama!", gasped Ran, and rushed for her mistresses aid. She pulled the cup away from Yukari, and put it down onto the table, but before she could even do something else, Yukari raised her hand to show Ran to stop.

"Playful today, are you?", growled Yukari at me, followed by a new fit of coughing. "...certainly interesting how you, despite having walked the path of nihilism, show such a sarcastic and sadistic side towards me...!", coughed the sukima, and my grin spread only further as I leaned onto my right hand.

"The path of nihilism has a fatal flaw... the emotion of love is not left behind... meeting Nanatsu has hit the only vulnerable spot of my indifferent personality... In the end, the path of nihilism doesn't create a change of heart, but a mask that is usually unremovable... my mask has cracked, and I believe it will break only further...and to be honest, I don't care about it.", I chuckled, a feral grin spreading on my face.

And all Yukari did was staring in confusion at me. It was the begin of our constant playful bantering.

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><p><em>about 1000 years ago, Tokio, Japan<em>

Yukari fell out of her gap and landed on the ground of a nightly alley, which was luckily empty. Pulling out her folding fan and closing the gap behind her, she walked onto the still crowded streets, and made her way towards the nearby park. There, she just sat down onto a bench, and waited. And she shouldn't wait too long.

"Thank you for coming, Yukari..." She rose her gaze and immeadiately met bilious green eyes not all too far from her. "How could I not? Your message sounded pretty urgent.", replied the sukima no youkai, and made some space for him to sit next to her. Chôzen plopped down next to her, and let out a deep sigh.

"So, what was so urgent?", asked Yukari, her gaze fixed upon the empty and dusty path leading deeper into the park. "I'm coming back to Gensokyo with you... this night.", he spoke, letting out another deep sigh, totally uncharacteristically for him. The mask had indeed shattered, and while it hadn't broken off yet completely, a large chunk seemed already to be missing... he was becoming soft, and more caring...

"What do you mean with that? And where is Nanatsu?", asked Yukari, raising an eyebrow. As the name was spoken, Chôzen let out a deep sigh and leaned forwards, one hand moving through his hair. "That's it, Yukari... Nanatsu and I... we are through, I fear.", he muttered, shocking the sukima. "Excuse me?", asked Yukari quite surprised.

"Things... aren't the same anymore. Nanatsu and I... three days ago,we... had an argument. It escalated... and I left. I've been wandering around aimlessly since then... and after realising that it is over, I searched for Ran, well knowing that she was in this world to do something for you... and gave her the message that you should pick me up here.", he breathed, his body trembling... and then, a tear escaped the once emotionless being.

In shock about that, even the almighty Yukari didn't know how to act... so she did the only thing she could do... and slipped an arm around him. "Have you tried speaking with her?", asked Yukari, looking at nothing in particular, which was wide, wide in the distance, just away from the crying 'walking enigma'.

"I have... and we came to the conclusion that it had no use anymore... that wasn't our first argument, lately, we've been having more and more... and this time, it was too much...", he muttered, wipping his tears away.

"...are you really sure?", asked Yukari, as she rose from her seat, opening a gap. "I am.", he muttered, nodded, and stood up as well. "I was wrong. The path of nihilism is flawless. The love is the last thing to overcome... the path makes sure that **every love will break.", **chuckled Chôzen in an insane way... as he suddenly stumbled forwards.

Yukari gasped, made a quick step forwards, and catched her friend. "Chôzen, is everything alright?", she asked, shaking him... when Chôzen lifted his head and stared at her, she almost let him fall. **"I believe he isn't okay... King got some serious problems...", **snickered Chôzen, his voice higher than usual and distorted. And Yukari could only stare into those crimson eyes that looked at her so amused... until Chôzen suddenly choked and his body went limp again.

"...go away...", he hissed to himself, raising his gaze to Yukari... his eyes bilious green again. "Sorry about that...", he growled. "That freak always seeks an opportunity to take over...", he chuckled. (4) "Who is he?", asked Yukari, blinking.

Suddenly, Chôzen freed himself from Yukaris grip, and stumbled towards the gap. "Who he is?", asked Chôzen, glaring over his shoulder at Yukari. "Chôzen Gekido." Yukaris eyes widened and she took a step back. "T-then who are you?"

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><p><em>400 years ago, Gensokyo - Boundary, Yakumo Residence<em>

"Lady Yukari? Lady Yukari, please wake up!", hissed a voice, before purple eyes opened just a little. "What is it, Ran?", growled Yukari, glaring at her Shikigami. "Uhm... it's... your friend, Chôzen Gekido, standing in the door, threating to negate my existence if I don't wake you up...", muttered Ran uneasily.

Immeadiately, Yukaris eyes snapped open, and she glared through the room at Chôzen, who stood leaned against the doorframe, his gaze towards the ground, black hair that shimmered green in the light covering his eyes. "Chôzen?", asked Yukari surprised, sitting up. **"Indeed."**, he spoke, his voice more indifferent that ever before. **"Yukari Yakumo, I have come here to...", **he chuckled all of sudden, then rose his gaze towards Yukari, making her flinch.

**"...put this to an end.", **he cackled, his eyes a deep crimson. With a sudden leap, Yukari was out of her futon, standing in front of Ran, protecting her Shikigami with one extended arm. "What do you mean by that, Chôzen?", asked Yukari, her expression that of utter disgust. But Chôzen just chuckled, and pushed himself off the doorframe.

**"King has been reckless... no, to make it worse, he even tried shattering the mask. After six whole centuries of indifference, he has once again snapped... which is why I am the leading one. I can no longer watch this drama... it's making me sick.", **growled the crimson-eyed Chôzen. "Explain.", huffed Yukari, slowly moving her arm down.

**"I want to put this to an end... all this suffering... I can no longer watch him suffer, as I suffer as well. This is my body, and I cannot let him hurt it anymore. I want you to open a gap to the outside world... I will go through. I am planning to look for Nanatsu no Taizai, as to bring this to an end, I have to find her. She holds the shackles that have laid around me and the king... only she can end this suffering.", **sighed crimson-eyed Chôzen.

"How can she end it?", asked Yukari. **"I don't know. All I know is, that I have to find her... But we have to hurry now. He might regain control of my body any second now... Listen to my request: Open a gap to Tokio and let me through. I shall live there, and take the matters into my own hands. But as we know that he and I have buisness and 'friends' here as well, I request you to open a gap every three days that leads back to Gensokyo... He and I shall change between the worlds in a three day cycle... only in winter, I will stay here in Gensokyo.", **explained the crimson-eyed Chôzen.

"I see...", muttered Yukari, nontheless looking pretty thoughtful.** "Do you agree to my request?", **asked the crimson-eyed Chôzen. Yukari nodded. **"Very well then... so let us finish this once and for all, Yukari Yakumo.", **he muttered... and Yukari opened the gap that should start the real tragedy...

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><p><em>today, Gensokyo - Chôzen Gekido's cave<em>

Chôzen stired in his sleep, the memory of Yukari turning into the black nothingness it had been before... and then, Chôzen's eyes snapped open.

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><p>(1) I will go into that in a later chapter, but I guess some of you may already know which stone angels I am refering to. If so, please don't expect too much, I may only describe and mention them, nothing more. Just planned as reference, but maybe they might actually do... what they always do when someone blinks or looks away...<p>

(2) In Japan, the surname is put first. Chôzen does this, as seen, but when Yukari says her own name, she uses the american way to say it, meaning the surname follows the first name. [thus two (2) in the chapter]

(3) Actually, something like that was said by Yukari herself in canon. In Reimu & Yukari's scenario in SA, stage 5, Yukari is heard wondering "where has our cat went off to"... Apparently, she was speaking to Ran off-screen.

(4) Reference to Bleach. And no, Chôzen does have no "inner hollow".

_And that's it for the memory about Yukari. Again, it only contains some important memories, rather the unusual times (aside the first meeting) than the everyday stuff. Originally, this chapter was going to be very serious (or at least more serious than it is), but before I knew, there was this scene with Yukari hitting Chôzen more than once with her umbrella..._

_Dammit, Yukari, I bet you infiltrated my mind to make me write something to hurt poor Chôzen!_

_Also, cameo appearance by the Tenchi Muyo Cast. I friggin loved the OVA, but the rest was... meh. They had their good episodes, but the others... meh!_

_But yeah. Let's leave it at that._

_Anyways, I'd like to inform you that I have started a poll... you can find it on my profile. I know that I originally said that I would not write an arc for Touhou 12: Undefined Fantastic Object, but... there are these ideas I am playing with, and I am uncertain if I should write the arc or not. So, the topic of the poll is: Do you, my readers, want an arc for Touhou 12: Undefined Fantastic Object in I-Negative Bullet? Yes or no? _

_You feel like influencing this story? If so, you might want to vote on that poll... if you like Touhou 12, and want me to write it, please vote... of course, if you do not want it for some reason, you are welcome as well to vote. Results are going to be revealed with the end of the Subterranean Animism Arc, until which the poll will be open._

_Anyways, thank you for reading this chapter. Hope you enjoyed it. Please review if you feel like it ;-)_

_That being said... See you around!_

_So lo... oh, wait. There is another chapter... Silly me ~! Yeah, there is an intermission chapter that follows this one. Nothing of the past, but as this story is set DURING Negative Bullet, I have to respect the timeline... I cannot let Chôzen sleep forever in 0-NM and make him remember things while he already is e.g. in the Mountain of Faith arc in I-NB. Remember, Chôzen is asleep, and the first part of his returning memories, namely 0-NM chapters 1 - 5, is set in between PoFV and the following Intermission arc._

_So, next chapter! Onwards!_


	5. 4,5 Soshite, toki ga ugoki desu

_DISCLAIMER: I do not own Touhou, Team Shanghai Alice / ZUN does. However, Chôzen Gekido and Nanatsu no Taizai are mine._

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><p><em><strong>Intermission Chapter 1: Soshite, Toki ga ugoki desu (1)<strong>_

My eyes snapped open all of sudden. Disoriented, I looked around in panic, trying to make out where I was... but it was already dark outside, that was one of the few things I could make out. Usually, I had no problems seeing in the dark, due to my eyes having the ability to see even in full darkness... also, they usually illuminated the area I was looking at, due to them shining green so brightly."Finally awake, are you?"

Hearing that voice, I immediately snapped my head towards the source of the voice, and found a muscular man, his upper body hidden in shadows, but his eyes glowing a dangerous red. "D-Dio!", I gasped, and pushed myself off the wall I sat leaned against.

"Indeed.", replied Dio with an amused snicker, stepping out of the deepest darkness. Finally, he lifted his right hand, and only a few seconds later, an oil lamp lit up, illuminating the room... In less than a second, I made it out to be the cave I had once resided in... and remembered how I came here and what I had just dreamt about.

"How long was I asleep?", I asked, holding my head with my right hand. "About four days.", replied Dio, crossing his arms. "Four days... How strange...", I muttered, still holding my head. It hurt a lot right now... to be honest, my whole body felt a little weak and my legs feel like they would give in any second now...

"Indeed.", he replied, but there was a hidden meaning to his words... somehow, I had the feeling that he had something to do with my incredibly long sleep... or rather, coma. This hadn't been a normal sleep at all...

"I believe you should head home, sleeping beauty.", spoke Dio all of sudden, a playful smirk on his lips. I simply let out a groan as I heard him. "Ah, just shut up. I've got a headache I have to care about...", I growled. _**"Let me take care of that. You should head home, as he said. Nanatsu must be quite worried... And I believe Rumia should be as well... Heck, you even had me worried!"**_ "Ugh, shut up, voice in my head...", I groaned, then turned to the nearby hole in the wall.

"I'm off. Greet Sakuya from me, will ya? I don't think I will drop by soon... but well, we see about that.", I sighed, looking back at Dio. "I will do that. But now, go already, will you?", he grinned, to which I just rolled my eyes, and jumped out of the hole into the dark night. (2)

Meanwhile, Dio Brando watched me fly off... then, he let out an amused chuckle, only to vanish into nothingness a second later.

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><p>I opened the door very slowly and only a little, barely enough for me to peek into the darkness of the room without giving myself away or illuminating the room with my eyes. But with what limited sight I had, I just couldn't make out Nanatsu. <em><strong>"Boo!"<strong>_ I flinched, then closed my eyes and let out a silent hiss. "One day, I'm going to kill myself over and over again by stabbing something through my head, just so that you suffer... you heard me...?", I growled to myself, or rather, the voice inside my head. _**"Loud and clearly, boss."**_, snickered the voice back.

Ignoring it from there on, I turned back to the room I had been peeking in, and opened the door to it a little further. "I seriously hope she is not awake...", I muttered to myself, well knowing what hell I would be in if she was awake. "Sorry to shatter your hopes, but **I am** awake.", replied a sweet voice from behind me, startling me.

Twirling around, I found Nanatsu leaned against the wall of the corridor, one eyebrow raised as if to say "where have you been?". _**"We are so screwed... No, hey, you are screwed! See ya later, mate!"**_I almost facepalmed as I heard the voice getting quieter towards the end of its sentence, as if it was leaving a room. _"I'm gonna get back at you for that, voice!"_, I thought angrily, then let out a sigh.

"I'm back.", I spoke to Nanatsu, to which she pushed herself off the wall and approached me. "That I can clearly see, idiot.", she huffed... and then, grabbed the by the ear. "You've got me worried to death, did you hear? Where have you been all week? First, you invite Rumia for breakfast, and then you get all melancholy on us and just leave, saying you wouldn't return for a while!", she scolded, pulling on my ear, causing me to flail my arms around.

"I've been... ow ow ow! Let go of my ear first!", I complained, to which she only pulled harder on it. "Okay okay! I've been in that cave, you know, the one with the sakura tree underneath! The place we married!", I exclaimed, trying to pull my ear free... which Nanatsu suddenly let go off. "I'm listening.", she spoke, to which I let out a reliefed sigh.

"Since that one nightmare, I've been thinking on how it is possible for me to remember something, despite my memories being lost... My theory is, that with all those people I met again and remembered, a large chunk of my memories had been loosened... Shikieiki was the one that finally broke it from the rest of my 'lost' memory.", I began, and Nanatsu nodded.

I waited for a few seconds more and watched as she sat down onto the couch, then I sat down next to her. „After that memory of my last moment before entering Gensokyo, I felt uneasy… seeing myself behave so indifferent was quite a shock to me, especially remembering those horrible things I thought was terrible. Even after I awoke, I still remembered those thoughts I once had… they tortured me. I wanted some time alone, so I went to a place barely any people know about…", I sighed.

"The cave.", spoke Nanatsu, and I nodded. "The cave.", I confirmed, then leaned back on the couch, and rested my head against the wall behind it. "When I entered, the torture began to get even worse… in the end, I simply collapsed.", I continued, and earned a gasp from Nanatsu, who immediately had a hand on my forehead. "But you don't have fever, have you?", she asked quickly, to which I shook my head. "Not anymore.", I assured her.

"Anyways… after I collapsed, I began to remember more... Especially about two individuals. Namely, Fujiwara no Mokou and Yukari Yakumo..." Nanatsu gave me a sceptical look as I leaned forwards, and put my head onto my hands.

"I met Fujiwara no Mokou about two tenthousands ago... back then, I was searching for the phoenix atop Mt. Fuji, as he was mentioned in the path of nihilism... On my way up, I was attacked by a bunch of wolf youkai... though I had the strength to defeat them, I had not the will... before the path of nihilism, I found myself unable to hurt anyone... I just couldn't brint it over myself to hurt anyone...", I whispered, staring down at my own hands.

"This is the first time that you actually tell me of the path and what was before it...", muttered Nanatsu, putting a hand onto my shoulder, to which I turned to her. "I know... I have never told anyone what happened...", I sighed. "...it is too horrible." At that, Nanatsu gave me a questioning glance, so I sighed and continued.

"Mokou saved me from the wolf youkai, and she too wanted to reach the top of the , so we went together... Only after we reached the phoenix, it turned out that she actually had the same goal as me... reaching the phoenix. Before my eyes, an eternal contract was made as Fujiwara no Mokou absorbed the phoenix so that they both can end their immortal loneliness... the loneliness immortality gives." I rose my gaze from my hands, and instead stared at the far wall of the room.

"Yukari Yakumo was quite different. I met her only 1800 years ago, back in the outside world, in New York City, America... Well, 'met' is the wrong word... she rather forced herself on me, then told me that she had been stalking me for quite a while... though she rather called it 'persuated'. She continued as for why she was stalking me... she wanted to create Gensokyo at that time, and I should be part of it... at her side... But I never felt anything for her but a deep connection."

"What happened then?", asked Nanatsu, to which I turned my gaze over to her. "I denied her and left. A short while later, we met again, and she finally told me of her powers... even as I was the indifferent asshole I once was... I was shocked at them... About three centuries later, a letter reached me... saying that Gensokyo was created and I should meet her... that was the prelude to the event in which I should enter Gensokyo for the first time...", I muttered... and then stared down at my hands.

"Did you know... Nanatsu... that these hands have killed before? The very same hands that I touch things with? These hands broke beings... and yet, they could repair things... only beings not... Beings can not be repaired...", I whispered, and Nanatsu gave me another reassuring pat onto the shoulder.

"Are you sure you're okay, Chôzen? A lot has happened... It must be cruel for you to remember such things...", she whispered, and I nodded. "It's a torture I can barely endure and yet... Yet, as masochistic as it may sound... I want more! I want to remember it all, even if it hurts me, even if it slowly rips apart my sanity...", I chuckled, feeling something inside I haven't felt in a long time... Insanity.

For a moment, Nanatsu stayed silent, then, she sighed. "Don't overdo it, you heard me? I don't want to lose you.. not again. Keep it low, don't force yourself to remember... when the time arises, you will remember what you forgot... and then, it is your choice to be the one you were or be the one you are now... Don't try to fool me, I have noticed your doubts on who you are and who you were... I can feel it inside... We are soul-mates, after all..", she whispered into my ear.

"You know...", I muttered after a few seconds. "...I remembered also talking with Yukari about a thousand years ago... We had that argument at that time... but despite my greatest efforts, I cannot remember what it was about... Nanatsu, what was in between us, what caused us to seperate?", I asked, a second later shocked at the desperation in my own voice.

That question caused silence for a moment, a very uncomfortable moment, before Nanatsu finally rose from the couch. "You should go to sleep, Chôzen. Your mind has to recover after such a huge chunk of memory returning.", she spoke in a way I never expected from her, a very displeased, indifferent and yet... rejecting way. "Good night.", was the last she said, before she left the living room, and disappeared behind the door.

I stayed for a moment longer, confused about what had just happened... and then, I rose from the couch myself. _**"She is right. You should sleep. Tomorrow is a long day, after all, you promised Yuuka to return for a tea."**_ I continued to look at the door, now confused as for why my conscience was talking the same way Nanatsu just did. Finally, I took a step forwards.

"Just what are you hiding from me?", I muttered. _**"..."**_ "What is it, that I had argued with Nanatsu about? Why are you avoiding my question?", I continued as I stepped into the corridor, and turned to the stairs leading upwards. _**"...It is better if you do not remember. Please don't ask anymore..."**_ I stopped right next to a mirror on a wall, and stared into my own reflection out of the corner of my eyes. "...I cannot understand, but I shall try not to ask anymore."

Eventually, I continued my ways towards the stairs, and even though I was more confused than before... I hoped I would finally have a night of peace. Tomorrow was indeed a big day... I promised Yuuka to return, and being sleepy was the last thing I should be.

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><p>(1) Quote of Dio Brando. Literally means "Time moves on".<p>

(2) Though it may not sound like it while reading the text the first time, and no one besides me would truly know, I have chosen that way to say it on purpose... "Into the Dark Night" is actually a boss-music from Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow. I know, dumb reference, but I really felt like paying that game some respect... I am currently replaying it for the 17th time since I got it, and I am still not tired of it.

_So... yeah, that about sums it up, the first part of 0-Negative Memory is done. This chapter re-connects 0-Negative Memory to I-Negative Bullet... what of course doesn't mean that 0-NM is over, heck no! It continues from now on, with every update of I-NB comes an update of 0-NM... the past is not just the past, what once was will always be, it will always return, even if you do not wish for it... Chôzen has to learn that the hard way... in more ways than one, as you will soon see..._

_But yeah. Once again, I'd like to remind you of the poll on my profile. This is the last time I remind of it, other than maybe giving an overview on the results here and there, and finally, the final result._

_So yes... that was it for 0-NM for this update... I hope you already wait for the next update, which will follow soon. I do my best to get this written without losing time to learn for school or even neglect anything else._

_Anyways, thank you for reading this update, and I hope you will continue reading Negative Bullet Project. I also appreciate every review and every opinion of my stories._

_That being said, have a nice day! Until the next update!_

_So long!_


	6. 5 The Sin

_This time, I chose to do things a little different._

_While this story is about Chôzens memory, it is also about his whole past. This chapter will be written from two perspectives and will change between them... It is time to reveal a little of Nanatsu no Taizai and Chôzen Gekidos past._

_I believe this change will help to understand Chôzen and Nanatsu better..._

_So yeah, before I start writing too much notes and too less story, here goes nothing!_

_*Klaxons start blaring*_

_Read I - Negative Bullet up to chapter 50 for this chapter!_

_*Klaxons stop blaring*_

_DISCLAIMER: I do not own Touhou, Team Shanghai Alice / ZUN does. However, Chôzen Gekido and Nanatsu no Taizai are mine._

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><p><em><strong>Chapter 5: The Sin<strong>_

_About 1500 years ago, Higan - Shinigami Quarters_

_Nanatsu no Taizai's PoV_

When I woke up and stared at the ceiling of my luxurios half-room (note to myself: sarcasm), which was divided by a small divider in the middle, Komachi snoring loudly on the other side of it, I somehow already knew that this day would be quite special.

It could have to do with the fact that it was long before the sun would rise that I woke up, and I am quite sure that it hadn't been Komachis obnoxiusly loud snoring... During the last six days I had gotten used to it... I am really proud of how quick I can adapt to situations... but not proud enough to say that I would give into the sin of vanity... well, I could if I wanted to, after all, I can alter my own personality to make it represent one of the deadly sins.

But since it wasn't Komachi's snoring... it could only mean that something was going to happen today... And since I knew that, I also knew that sleeping would be impossible now. So I moved my blanket aside, and sat up in my bed. A short look behind one of the curtains and out of the window showed me that it was, as usual, twilight over this world... But I am so used to my usual routine that I go to sleep when I think it is night... and my inner clock has never failed me before.

Trusting Komachi in these regards was pretty useless, I learned that in the short six days that I know her. I had just been asigned to work under Shikieiki Yamaxanadu, before, I had worked under another judge, but its name is not relevant. I believe Shikieiki Yamaxanadu is a better judge anyways, I really like how she handles things.

...I believe I should go and see her about this. Maybe she knows what will happen today. She has, after all, great insight about as good as everything. ...I should really go and see her about this.

With this goal in mind, I rose from my bed, slipped into my slippers, and put my kimono on over my nightrobe... it was certainly a cold night. Finally dressed, I turned to the nearby door and walked up to it. While it was dark due to the window being behind a curtain, I still managed to see the interior of the room completely, as my eyes had already adjusted to the darkness.

With one hand on the doorknob, I turned around and glanced a last time at Komachi, who I could now see. She lay on her back, one arm dangling out off her blanket, the other one laid across her stomach. Her mouth was wide open as she snored... if this would be some show in the outside worlds 'television', I believe a bubble would be coming from Komachi's nose, but luckily, as this was not some show in a invention of humans, this was not the case.

Turning back to the door, I turned the knob around, and then pushed it open. It is still a miracle for me as for why Shikieiki Yamaxanadu has build this western-styled building for shinigami, who are japanese death gods, but it is not my place to ask such a trivial question. I am a shinigami, I live to serve the judges of the deceased... unlike my lazy co-worker, Komachi, who lives to sleep. But she is still a fun person to be around, so it is not my place to accusate her of anything.

Finally in the corridor of the building, I closed the door behind me silently, and then turned to the far end of the corridor, which lead into the temple-like building that the court was located in. It wasn't that hard to locate Shikieiki Yamaxanadu, as she was working hard, even at 'night'. So I guess the place I am heading for is indeed the court, where she would possibly either hold a trial, or sort documents.

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><p>But this night should be very different. As I approached the slightly opened door to the court, the bright light of the court shining through the ajar door, I already heard two voices... those of Shikieiki Yamaxanadu and another female.<p>

"...I see...", I heard Shikieiki Yamaxanadu speak. "Yes. But I believe you have already foreseen this, have you, Eiki?", asked the second voice. "...Indeed I have. The Yama of Japan has told me that your friend has recently received a letter inviting him to Gensokyo... and it was from you.", replied Shikieiki Yamaxanadu. "Indeed. I have invited him... he is an old friend, a very special one.", chuckled the other person.

Then, it was silent for a moment, before Shikieiki Yamaxanadu spoke suddenly up again. "You may come in, Nanatsu no Taizai." I flinched madly when I heard that she directed this at me... While I had gotten used to Komachi's loud snoring already, Shikieiki Yamaxanadu's apparent knowledge of everything would still be hard for me to getting used to.

Without hesitating, I slipped into the room, and stopped right behind the door, waiting for my eyes to adjust to the new light. As soon as they did, I found Shikieiki Yamaxanadu sitting in her seat, a pile of documents on her right, and about twice as much to her left. And, on the desk next to Shikieiki Yamaxanadu, sat the honorable Yukari Yakumo herself, the creator of this land.

"Hello Nanatsu no Taizai.", greeted Yukari Yakumo warmly, waving a gloved hand at me. "Yakumo-sama.", I replied, and bowed down as deep as I could. Here in Gensokyo, Yukari Yakumo had almost as much authority as Shikieiki Yamaxanadu herself. "Oh please, not formalities. Just call me Yukari, okay?", chuckled the sukima no youkai, and pulled her folding fan.

"As you wish, Yukari-sama.", I spoke, then bowed down again, to which she let out a sigh. "You're hopeless, I guess. I believe you would very well go along with my old friend Chô, he is just as hopeless as you!", chuckled Yukari-sama, and hopped from the desk onto one of her gaps, and hovered towards me.

"And that was what I was just talking with Eiki about, right, Eiki?", snickered Yukari-sama, as she slipped an arm around my shoulders. "That is right. Since you have heard us, I would like to know your opinion on this matter, Nanatsu no Taizai.", spoke Shikieiki Yamaxanadu, and climbed off her seat. She went around it, then approached us and stood finally before me. And though she was just a little smaller than me, I still felt smaller than her... there was just this aura of authority around her that simply amazed me.

"To explain this shortly: Yukari has met a very special youkai not all too long ago... their first meeting lies about 300 years ago, I believe. This youkai has acquired a very special power... the ability to negate it all, making it effectively one of the most dangerous youkai in existence, if not even the most dangerous. However, this youkai has also a very special personality... he lives the indifference, he does not care about anything, and yet he isn't careless... things just do not interest him, as for him, everything is the same...", spoke Shikieiki, taking me by surprise.

"E-excuse me, Enma-sama?", I asked and blinked. "You heard right, his ability is the negation of anything, even if he does not use it, as he doesn't care about it. To be exact, he doesn't care about anything, as I was saying. Well, what I and Yukari were discussing was, if to let this dangerous youkai live here in Gensokyo, where Yukari wants him to be.", sighed Shikieiki Yamaxanadu, and sent Yukari-sama a small glare, but Yukari Yakumo behaved suspiciously unsuspicious, as usual.

"He was one of the first I ever told about my dream of Gensokyo,so I believe he has rights to see what I made of this dream.", chuckled Yukari-sama, nudging me. "You see it that way too, don't you, Nanatsu?", she added. "uh... Yukari-sama...", I chuckled uneasily, unsure what to think of this.

"While Yukari does want to have him here in Gensokyo, I am unsure about it. My fellow Yama boast whenever he is in their responsible country, they would possibly fight for who gets him next... I do not see why. While he is indeed a very special being, he is just a being, like everyone else... I believe he would agree with me in that.", spoke Shikieiki Yamaxanadu, making me turn to her.

"Indeed he would, Eiki.", snickered Yukari-sama next to me. "But I simply want him here because he is my friend.", continued the sukima, and nudged me again. "I have taken a photo of him? You wanna see?", she whispered into my ear.

"Yukari, he is still a danger I cannot afford to have in the land I am suposed to watch over. And you should think like this to, what if he accidentally negates the Hakurei Border? We cannot... Hey, are you even listening?" For the first time ever, I could've seen Shikieiki Yamaxanadu's constant smile vanish, but I was too fixed on the photo that Yukari-sama showed proudly to me... almost a little too proud, but that Yukari Yakumo gave into the sin of vanity was nothing new to me.

Well, about the photo... seen on it was... an empty seat in front of a café of the outside world, a cup of coffee hovering in midair. "Uhm... Yukari-sama... is he... invisible?", I asked uneasily, to which Yukari Yakumo merely continued to grin at me... and then sweatdropped. Next moment, she was turned away and began to sob. "My only evidence of him... gone!"

"YUKARI!" That enraged cry caused me to cringe, and Yukari-sama to slowly turn her head towards Shikieiki Yamaxanadu. "Hm?", she asked the enraged yama. "You of all people should know that there can be made no evidence of him, the path of nihilism forbids any distinct evidence of his name! The path forbids such, as there is allowed no evidence of the real destroyer! Anyone else that walked this path did not lose past, present and future, only he who is indeed the chosen one will lose everything.", spoke Shikieiki Yamaxanadu, and continued to glare at Yukari.

"I am aware of that, Eiki.", chuckled the sukima no youkai, and suddenly fell into her gap, only to reappear a little distance from me and Shikieiki Yamaxanadu. "Yukari-sama, I believe Enma-sama is right. This friend of yours would be too dangerous for Gensokyo...", I finally replied, but Yukari-sama had suddenly that evil smirk on her lips... I wonder what she has plotted now...?

"Are you sure, Nanatsu? Maybe this will change your mind...", chuckled Yukari Yakumo, and rose her left hand. Immediately, a gigantic gap opened next to her, a beautiful meadow shown in it... and the back of a male of about 1,90m. The male wore a black shirt, green-glowing lines forming a symbol representing a flame on his back. He wore darkblue jeans in addition to black sneakers with crimson lines on them.

"Hello Chôzen.", spoke Yukari-sama, to which the male didn't react at first. Instead, he didn't move for a few seconds, before his head eventually turned until he glared with green-glowing eyes, voids of emotion, at us. His black hair, which had a slight green glimmer to it, moved softly in the breeze that also moved the grass. And even though he looked somewhat scary... I couldn't help but feel my cheeks heat up.

Finally, he opened his mouth, and a green flame escaped from it and began to orbit around his head. "What is it, Yakumo?", asked the male finally, but his voice was just as much of a void of emotions as his eyes were, causing a chill to run down my spine. "Don't worry, he cannot see us.", whispered Yukari-sama into my ear, and then turned to what was apparently the friend she and Shikieiki Yamaxanadu had argued about. "Oh, I just wanted to remind you of the big event tomorrow. I assume you will be there, right?", chuckled Yukari Yakumo.

But in response, her friend just turned away. "Aw, don't be like that, Chôzen.", snickered the sukima no youkai. "Stop bothering me about this. It's not like I care about it.", he replied simply, not even turning back to the gap. "Please, come on, how can you ref...", Yukari-sama was cut short when he finally turned around again, and extended his hand towards the gap he was speaking to. "Negation.", he spoke, and suddenly, the gap we looked through vanished.

Immediately, Yukari-sama let out a deep sigh and summoned another gap, on which she sat as it appeared. "Apparently, he is not even interested in coming here.", spoke Shikieiki Yamaxanadu, a triumphant smile on her lips. "Oh, haven't you seen how excited he was? He could barely await it!", countered Yukari Yakumo, before she turned to me. "And your shinigami seems to want to meet him!", she snickered, and slipped her arm around my shoulders again... and this time, I felt my cheeks heat up.

"The sin of lust coming through, my dear?", chuckled Yukari-sama as she moved one of her fingers over my stomach. Immediately, I pushed her off. "Yukari-sama! Please stop this!", I exclaimed, and pulled the scythe from my back. Yukari-sama sent me a displeased look, and yet she had a mischievous smile on her lips. "No need to be like that, I am just teasing you a little... but maybe I hit a nerve? You certainly seemed to be amazed by him."

As I continued to glare at her, Yukari-sama eventually seemed to lose the interest in teasing me, and turned to Shikieiki. "I expect you to show up at the Hakurei Shrine tomorrow, Eiki. With your two shinigami. We will see then if he is indeed not interested in this land or settles down here.", spoke Yukari-sama as she summoned a larger gap.

"We will.", replied Shikieiki Yamaxanadu, and Yukari Yakumo nodded. "Toodeloo, you two!", she exclaimed, waved her right, gloved hand, and vanished in the large gap, which closed right behind her. "Ugh... that woman.", sighed Enma-sama, pinching the bridge of her nose. Then, she looked at me. "...but she seems to be right... you seem to be interested in him...", muttered Shikieiki, giving me a questional glance.

"Uhm...", I chuckled uneasily. "I should go to bed, it seems that tomorrow is a very long day.", I quickly exclaimed, then made my escape.

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><p>And so, that interesting day came. I hadn't slept a second since that event this night... I spent every second I had thinking of the man I have seen, that youkai with those void eyes... I cannot really believe what I have heard about him... Was he really that dangerous? Had he no emotions? No past, present and future? The ability to negate everything?<p>

Even with my knowledge of several abilities, this one seemed to be just... just too extraordinary, too perfect to be true... but, on the other hand, Yukari-sama could create things by manipulating boundaries... Maybe he was the opposite? She creates, he ends?

Well, eventually, Shikieiki Yamaxanadu arrived at the Shinigami Quarters to pick us up (and wake Komachi) for the meeting Yukari-sama spoke about. As Komachi didn't understand what this was about, Shikieiki Yamaxanadu told her the short version of what had happened last night, and then opened a portal in the middle of our room.

And that is how I ended up here, standing in front of the shrine of the great Hakurei, the Hakurei Shrine. Unfortunately, the current miko of the shrine is merely a young girl... her mother had, after all, given her life to create a land she and Yukari Yakumo dreamed off... Mima Hakurei... wherever your spirit may be (it hasn't arrived at Higan for some reason)... may it be safe from evil influences and watch over this land...

"Is everybody finally here?", exclaimed Ran, Yukari's Shikigami, as she appeared from a gap that belonged to her master. "I am here.", spoke a tall woman with black-feathered wings on her back... Lord Tenma, if I am informed correctly, the head of what will once become a tengu clan... that is her dream, at least, and I really wish her the best of luck.

"The four seasons have gathered as well!", exclaimed Lily White cheerfully, behind her, Yuuka Kazami, Shizuha and Minoriko Aki, and Letty Whiterock. "Yuyuko-sama and the Prismriver family is here as well.", spoke a tall, grey-haired man with a scar over one eye, standing before that darkhaired princess of the netherworld, Yuyuko Saigyouji… I believe the mans name was Youki Konpaku… which means the little girl aside him is Youmu Konpaku, the girl that will become the next guard of the Saigyouji family… She will be a great guard, I believe.

And of course, aside Youki flew the four Prismriver Sisters, Merlin, Lunasa, Lyrica and their older sister Layla. Layla Prismriver... she is really beautiful, I have to say. She is a very tall woman with pearl white skin and darkgreen, wavy hair in a darkblue dress... she almost looks like the first miko of the Hakurei, Mima Hakurei... only has Layla that incredibly warm smile on her face, and this motherly aura surrounding her... the only aura that has surrounded Mima was that of laziness... though Mima had been a very caring person... she went as far as sacrifizing her life for the sake of others...

"Lady Shinki has sacrifized her precious time as well, so this is better important.", spoke a golden-haired maid, standing before the godess of the demon world, Shinki. "And I have heard your request as well and made my way here.", spoke Hieda no Aichi, a purple-haired girl in a colorful kimono. "I do not know why I have been invited, but I am here as well...", spoke a pink-haired nightsparrow, which stood right next to me, quietly.

"And we are present as well.", spoke Shikieiki Yamaxanadu, stepping up to Ran. "Where is your master?", asked Shikieiki Yamaxanadu. "Currently welcoming her friend... And as she hasn't returned yet, I believe he is indeed at the meeting point...", smiled Ran, her arms, as usual, crossed within the long sleeves of her kimono.

As I heard this, I felt my heart beginning to speed up. So I would possibly see him again, that mysterious man from last night... I will finally meet him face-to-face, learn who and how he is... My heart only speed up even more as suddenly, a gap opened aside Ran Yakumo, and Yukari-sama stepped out of it, a content and mischievous smile on her face...

* * *

><p>"Ah, hello, people of Gensokyo.", she snickered, opened her arms as if to embrace us all. "You, the highest of the highest... and Mystia... have gathered here for a very special reason...", spoke Yukari proudly.<p>

"Wasn't that a little too hard towards Mystia?", muttered Komachi, as she leaned towards me. "No... It's alright.", spoke Mystia silently, pushing her index fingers together as she blushed. "That Yukari Yakumo remembers my name alone makes me proud.", she whispered. "I am a low youkai, after all..."

I sent Mystia a glance of sympathy, and then turned back to Yukari-sama. "So, Yukari, where is your friend?", I asked calmly, but inside I was trembling. That mysterious youkai... he had awaken my interest... Maybe this world is not really completely made of seven sins... maybe not every being gives into them... He certainly seemed not to give into any sin...

"Stay calm, dear Nanatsu. He will arrive any second...", chuckled Yukari, before she turned around, a purple gap opening up in behind her. "Please welcome my dear friend, Gensokyo... welcome the Insei no Youkai, Chôzen Gekido...", spoke Yukari, just as he stepped out of the gap, his head lowered. And as he rose his gaze, I felt a chill running down my spine... those void eyes amaze me so much!

_Music: Nihilism Chôzen Gekido's theme: In Flames - The chosen pessimist_

"Welcome to my land... welcome to my dream... to the dream of Mima Hakurei... this land is blessed by the blood of a shrine maiden... it is her blood that gives power to the border... Welcome to the paradise, where every species can co-exist, Chôzen Gekido...", spoke Yukari, her arms extended and a triumphant smirk on her face.

"Dreams? They do not exist, dreams are creations of the mind... And such a place as paradise does not exist, as paradise is relative. Heaven and hell, paradise and purgatory, are words for the same, the existence, which is filthy, lying and backstabbing... It is a place I do not care about. I do not care where I am or on what I walk, and even less on who is around me... they are all the same.", spoke Chôzen Gekido, closing his eyes and putting his hands into the pockets of his jeans.

This action made Yukari's smile vanish, apparently she had hoped for him to be impressed by her dream. But that speech of his didn't only make Yukari's smile vanish, those who had arrived to welcome him were murmuring, their expressions anything but content... Shikieiki Yamaxanadu looked rather displeased, and Komachi just looked confused... only I had a smile on my face... and I fear it was even a perverted one, as I clearly felt myself blush.

Finally, Chôzen opened his eyes again. "And about that sacrifice... she has given her life to create yet another world, which will be the same as the already existing one. But life and death are the same, merely different words. I don't care about it, anyways.", he huffed, and let his eyes trail through the crowd around him, starting with Lord Tenma, over the netherworld princess and her gardener, the poltergeist sisters, the four seasons, Hieda no Aichi... _"come on, I'm here...! Just a little more!"_ ...Shinki and her maid Yumeko... Mystia and...

Ultimately, our eyes met. And immediately, I saw something different in his expression, what, I cannot exactly say... all I know that it was as if a mask was shattered for a second, a green spark in his emotionless eyes for just the smallest part of a second, a single twitch of his body... and then, as the mask returned... an evil smirk placed itself upon his lips.

"...but maybe, this world is different than the other one..."

* * *

><p><em>1200 years ago, Gensokyo - Chôzen Gekido's hidden cave<em>

_Chôzen Gekido's PoV_

Leaning my back against the lone sakura tree, I let out a content sigh. This place was so relaxing... how in gods name could I put on that damn mask of nihilism, turn my back onto this world? Now, sitting under this tree, looking through the hole in the ceiling of the cave into the blue heaven while pink sakura fell around me... thinking of that shinigami that would soon arrive here... closing my eyes to rest... I cannot understand my reasons for putting on the mask of nihilism...

It hasn't vanished yet, it is still there, hides myself from the world... and me. But it has broken... it is crumbling with each day... slowly, I feel myself become myself again, my tired limbs return to wake... the stake pulled out of my cold heart, which then bathes in life... my shallow chest rises again with each breath, my dead soul gaining new wings... only should I never give warmth, as I have none...

"A yen for your thoughts?"(1), asked a familiar, female voice. I opened my eyes and found that the once blue heaven was now a deep orange as the sun began to set... I must have nodded off... I don't even realise it anymore, as time means nothing to me... or at least it did. Before I even lowered my gaze, I already saw my flame-soul... it was back, so that means she is here as well...

Lowering my gaze towards the only entrance to this cave other than the hole in the ceiling, I found the shinigami I had waited for stepping towards me, carrying the scythe on her back, as usual. "I don't care about money.", I chuckled, and the shinigami rolled her eyes.

Finally, she reached me, and stood next to me, leaning her back against the tree. For a long time, it stayed silent in between us, comfortable silence if I may say so... I don't think a word had to be spoken. Words are not of any relevance. But eventually, she spoke.

"It seems you wanted to meet me... that green flame of yours has guided me here, after all.", she spoke, turning her gaze to me. Looking up at her, as I still sat on the ground aside her, I nodded. "It is a part of my soul, split from the rest. It can act independent, and most likely will, but I can also control it... to some extend.", I replied.

"I see...", she spoke. "...you know... lately, I have forgotten your name quite often... how is that possbile?", she asked, raising an eyebrow. "It happens quite often lately, not only to you. I believe it is because my mask of indifference is crumbling... it starts to negate my name not only when written down, but also makes it disappear from memories... and it is only my name that vanishes, interestingly.", I explained, slowly rising from my place beneath the tree.

"It was something with C... Chô...", she whispered, looking at me with a small smile. "Yeah it was, Nanatsu no Taizai.", I replied, and she giggled softly. "Ohoh, at least you remember my name.", she spoke... and then narrowed her eyes. "...well then, handsome, may you tell me your name? We met a lot, yet I don´t know it.", asked the Nanatsu no Taizai, standing beneath the tree, a playful grin on her face... so she was going to do this the romantic way, huh?

"It´s Chôzen Gekido, cutie.", I replied. "I see. You´re quite flirtative, aren´t you?", she asked. "Usually not, but when I see you, I go totally crazy.", said I with a wicked grin. If she was going to play this game that way, I'm in! Being with her made me forget my own indifference... how funny that sounds, if one remembers that the path of nihilism said that there is no return, no way to take the mask off my face...

"Tell me, Chôzen Gekido... do you fear judgement? Do you fear committing a sin, regret when you did something wrong?", asked Nanatsu no Taizai, crossing her arms playfully. "Sorry, gal, but not with me. Sometimes, I can be a real asshole. Besides, isn´t existing already a sin? I see it that way... So I live my sin. To me, it does not matter if I sin or not... If I live or not.", I replied, extending a hand to her.

"Oh my, that is interesting to hear... So it is true what Yukari-sama has told Enma-sama? You did walk the path of perfect balance, the path of nihilism, and you still live?", she asked, glancing down at my hand. "Yes I did. Path of nihilism... A joke in my eyes... but the result is incredible.", I replied.

It stayed silent as Nanatsu and I continued to gaze at each other. "You got some free time? Like now, I mean?", asked Chôzen eventually. "Are you asking me out on a date? Hm?", she asked. "I take that as a yes, cutie.", I chuckled... and finally, she extended her hand, and grabbed mine.

* * *

><p><em>1000 years ago, Outside World - Gekido-Taizai residence<em>

_Nanatsu no Taizai's PoV_

_"Just how am I going to tell him this?"_ Looking up at the clock on the far wall of the living room, I could only wonder how much time I had left... he could be at home any minute now... and here I sit, thinking on how to tell him this..:!_ "I can't just sit here and say completely nonchalant what has happened! I just can't!"_

"Nanatsu?" _"I mean... what if he doesn't like it? What if... he doesn't want it? What if he gets mad at me for...?" _"Nanatsu!" I flinched madly as I saw him standing in the door with a questioning glance. "Why didn't you reply? Geez, if you're home and I'm calling for you, just answer...", he sighed, rubbing his temples.

"Uh.. uh... hi.", I muttered, unsure of what to say. But apparently, he noticed my nervousness. "Something wrong? You seem troubled.", he asked, making me cringe. _"Just why had he to notice? Once, he didn't care about anything, and now, he notices those things that are off!"_

"Uh... yeah.", I replied. "Hm? What's it?", he asked, asking the question I hoped I could've avoided. "Uh... what?", I asked, trying to convince myself that I heard him wrong. "I asked what's wrong?...Is everything alright, Nana? You are totally out of character... has something happened?", he asked, and I sighed loudly. "Something has happened...", I muttered, and cringed yet again as he sat down onto the couch next to me.

"Then tell me. Keeping that trouble inside you will only do harm.", he suggested, leaning his head back. "Maybe...", I whispered, another sigh following it. "See?", he chuckled, and I managed to force a weak smile. "W-well, I don't know how I should feel about it...", I muttered, rubbing my temples, my gaze firmly locked on the carpet... though it didn't matter to me where I looked, as long as I did not look at his face.

"Feel about what?", he asked, concern quite clear on his face as I dared to glance for a short moment at him. "Chôzen... I've got something important to tell you...", I sighed, as I leaned back, both of my hands on my stomach. "Chôzen... I am...", I stopped, swallowed to get the knot out of my throat.

**"...pregnant."**

* * *

><p><em>Present, Gensokyo - Forest at the foot of Youkai Mountain<em>

_Nanatsu no Taizai's PoV_

I stole a glance towards Chôzen, who was walking aside me. Since we decided that flying directly towards the peak of the mountain was stupid, as it would allow our enemies to spot us way too early, we were walking through this forest.

Looking at his sad face... I was reminded of the past... Rumias leave... Rumia rejecting him... was it paining him as much as it had hurt him when he and I 'seperated' a thousand years ago...?

* * *

><p>(1) I know it is "A penny for your thoughts", but I don't think that they have penny in Gensokyo. Yen would be rather fitting.<p>

_And that's it!_

_Don't worry, this isn't all of Chôzens and Nanatsu's past, but a part of it. The other part will follow later on, and go more into detail about what happened right after Nanatsu's revealati...__**what the fuck did she just say?**_

_So we get an interesting revealation by Nanatsu... I've been playing with this idea for quite a while, and ultimately came to the conclusion... that this totally fits with what I have planned. So if Nanatsu was really pregnant... how come there is no child so far? Has something happened to it? _

_I will touch on that later... a lot later... too soon to reveal it! It will be revealed in the second "Nanatsu&Chôzen's past" chapter... _

_So yeah, until the next update!_

_So long!_


	7. 6 Suicide, Proof of Life

_Jo! What's up?_

_Has someone some obsidian for me, cause... *sunglasses* this chapter shall bring us into the netherworld! YEEEEEAAAAAH!_

_...sorry..._

_Uhm, well, now that I wrote what that annoying voice in my head wanted, I actually can write what I want. (Curse you, insanity!)_

_This chapter features a very certain princess of the netherworld and the family that serves her, the Konpaku Clan. This chapters title was inspired by a picture I have once seen of Mokou carrying a dead Keine in her arms, and written onto the picture was "The Final - Suicide is the proof of life". That picture is so full of emotions... I almost cried manly tears. If the artist reads this... good job. You almost made me cry._

_But that aside, when I thought of Yuyuko and her canon suicide, I immediately was reminded of that picture, and decided to go and search for it again. When I found it, this chapters title immediately popped into my head, and I really like the title. It feels so fitting for such a sad background story of such a whimsical ghost princess..._

_Yeah. Just... just let's start this, alright? I cannot stand sad chapters, so let's just get this over, alright? Shall we?_

_*Klaxons*_

_To understand this chapter, you must have read at least the PCB arc of I-Negative Bullet (up to chapter 23), but reading up to the newest chapter should be the best I believe._

_*Klaxons stop*_

_DISCLAIMER: I do not own Touhou, Team Shanghai Alice / ZUN does. However, Chôzen Gekido and Nanatsu no Taizai are mine._

* * *

><p><em><strong>Chapter 6: The Ultimate Truth ~ Suicide, proof of life<strong>_

_About 1450 years ago, Gensokyo - Netherworld, Hakugyokuro_

"Yuyuko-sama.", began Youki Konpaku as he bowed before Yuyuko Saigyouji, princess of the netherworld. "Youki. You do now serve the Saigyouji family since over 300 years... and I am very pleased with your work. I hope you keep it up.", spoke Yuyuko with a wave of her hand, to which Youki bowed again. "Of course I will, Yuyuko-sama. And I am trying my best at teaching my granddaughter so she can continue serving the Saigyouji-family, as it is the Konpaku clans destiny to do.", replied Youki.

"I trust in your words, Youki Konpaku.", smiled Yuyuko, and Youki nodded. "I will do my best.", he replied, then looked at the mistress of Hakugyokuro. "You may leave, Youki.", spoke Yuyuko. The half-phantom bowed once again, then turned around and walked over to the door. "Take great care. Of yourself and your granddaughter.", muttered Yuyuko, causing the half-phantom to stop and rise an eyebrow. "Hm?", he asked. "Oh, it's nothing.", she replied.

"I see.", he muttered, then left the room, leaving the darkhaired princess of the netherworld to stare after him with her maroon eyes...

* * *

><p>"Grandfather!" Youki stopped sweeping the leaves away and looked up, only to find his granddaughter Youmu Konpaku running towards him. "Hm? What's it, Youmu?", he asked, raising an eyebrow. "It's a strange man! It's that strange man that Yukari-sama has let in! He is ascending the stairs!", exclaimed Youmu as she held onto her grandfathers clothes.<p>

"Him?", muttered Youki surprised, and his granddaughter began to nod furiously. The swordsman and gardener of Hakugyokuro followed Youmus gaze towards the stone stairs leading up to the netherworld... and then began walking towards them. And as he reached them, and stared down the stairs, he indeed found the man his granddaughter had spoken off, his hands in his pockets as he acended the stairs, his emotionless gaze fixed on the top of the stairs, where Youki stood.

_Music: Nihilism Chôzens theme: In Flames - The chosen Pessimist_

Eventually, the being of nihilism and indifference stood aside him, looking past him, but not moving an inch. "What are you doing in the netherworld?", asked Youki, still looking towards the stairs, while Chôzen Gekido looked the other way. "I don't know.", replied the nihilist. Youki nodded. "I see.", he replied.

"So I guess you don't know your intentions as well?", asked the swordsman. "I do not know. Nobody knows anything, as there is nothing to know. They just believe they do know something.", replied the nihilist. "Somehow, that does sound very philosophic and wise.", commented Youki, and turned his head, as did Chôzen Gekido. And they locked gazes. "Wisdom is impossible to archieve, it is merely a word used by beings to describe a person they think of as intelligent."

"I see.", replied the gardener. Chôzen Gekido was a mystery to him, for such glowing eyes to contain nothing but emotionlessness seemed impossible to him, and yet it was that way. Youki had learned to read his opponents next actions within their eyes, as eyes are the mirror to the soul... even the mightiest warrior could be the loser of a fight if he didn't learn to contain his emotions... but it seemed impossible. Even Youki himself knew that, even though he had tried since several centuries, he couldn't hide the full extend of his emotions... but Chôzen Gekido, someone who was no warrior, someone who didn't care for life and death, could...

"How come you can enter the netherworld?", asked Youki, narrowing his eyes. "Explain.", replied Chôzen Gekido. "Yukari-sama mentioned that you are unable to die... and immortals cannot enter the realm of the dead, the netherworld, as being here is as if having died.", spoke Youki, turning fully around, unleashing the full fury within his eyes to intimidate the other male... but Chôzen Gekido seemed anything but intimidated by the death glare.

Instead, he just shrugged. "I cannot be manipulated by such kind of circumstance. I bow to no one, and no one bows to me. I pass through wherever I am and do not care about a thing, as nothing cares about me.", replied the nihilst... and something like death glare appeared on his face, even though it was emotionless, making Youki flinch. This man was definetly far more dangerous than heself...

"I see...", muttered Youki. "Good that you accept it as it is, Youki Konpaku. You may be one of the few that can watch the world as it is, without having walked the path of nihilism... but if you never walk it, you can never see the world fully as it is, as you always will have prejudices... the path of nihilism destroys such prejudices...", spoke Chôzen Gekido.

"You remember my name, I see, and yet it has only been mentioned once...", muttered Youki. "To not remember a name that has been told would make that person special from those that I do remember the name of... only if I remember all or nothing, I can be perfectly indifferent, perfectly balanced...", replied the Insei no Youkai, as he turned towards Hakugyokuro. "I also remember the names of Youmu Konpaku and Yuyuko Saigyouji, which live at this place as well...", muttered Chôzen Gekido, before his eyes trailed back to Youki.

"Youmu Konpaku...", he muttered, his eyes resting on the young girl that was hiding behind her grandfather. "Indeed they do reside here as well...", replied Youki, narrowing his eyes. "Shall I inform Yuyuko-sama about your presence?", asked Youki, his gaze travelling over to Hakugyokuro. "That won't be necessary.", replied the nihilist, then turned his gaze towards Hakugyokuro, and started walking, much to Youkis displeasure.

"I cannot let you through without informing the princess of your presence.", growled the swordsman, but Chôzen Gekido didn't even turn his gaze, he just continued to walk into one direction... causing Youki Konpaku to take on his duty. Not that of the gardener, but that of the guard of Hakugyokuro.

After Youmu, who quickly seemed to understand, let go of him, Youki drew his katana and pushed himself off the ground, rushing at the 'intruder' with the speed of wind. His katana aimed at the nihilsts neck, he reached back, finally was directly next to Chôzen Gekido, and swung his katana... as it hit his opponent, Youkis eyes widened.

_Music: Psychic Lover - XTC_

Chôzen Gekido, now standing perfectly still, had his right hand lifted, the blade stopped with his bare palm. No blood flowing. No skin pierced. But narrowed eyes, void of any emotion, glaring at Youki. "I said I do not care about where I am going.", spoke the nihilist... before a gigantic shockwave of wind was created by Youkis slash and Chôzens block, sending Youki flying a little away.

But the skilled swordsman landed on his feet, ready to attack the intruder once more. Once more, he pushed himself off the ground, aiming his sword as his opponent, only to experience once more that Chôzen Gekido stopped his blade, this time, with the back of his hand.

Youki, quick as he was, pulled his katana back and aimed it at Chôzens side, but the nihilist simply blocked it once more, not once changing his expression... that of indifference. Over and over again, Youki tried to slash his opponent, began to pick up speed, but so did Chôzen. Indeed, it didn't even seem to be a problem for him to block the rapid strikes, using nothing but his hands.

Finally at the highest speed he could manage, a sonic boom following his first strike, Youki aimed repeatedly at Chôzens side, then at his head, but still the nihilist seemed to be quicker. And then, suddenly, Chôzen Gekido went from defense to offense, used the hand he had until now in his pocket to slap Youki out of the way.

The swordsman landed painfully on his side, but as he bounced off the ground from the sheer power of the blow, he turned in midair to land on his knees,sliding until he came to a stop. "It seems I have underestimated you, Chôzen Gekido.", he hissed.

The nihilist didn't reply, he merely continued to stare with narrowed eyes at the swordsman, who stood up, reached with his left hand for his right side, and pulled his wakizashi. "I have not been forced in a very long time to draw it...", commented the swordsman, as he looked at the second blade, resting in his left hand. "Well then, have at you, intruder!"

_~ Music end~_

* * *

><p>Fom a nearby porch of the shrine of the netherworld, Hakugyokuro, Yuyuko Saigyouji watched the battle unfold. Yukari Yakumo sat aside her, combing the princess hair. "Shouldn't you stop this? Youki cannot beat Chôzen, it is practically impossible. I myself have seen Chôzens strength...", suggested Yukari, her eyes fixed on the battle as well.<p>

"I know. But it is a good training for Youki nontheless. Lately, I have the feeling that something might happen very soon... something big.", replied the princess, as Yukair continued to comb her dark hair. "I feel it as well.", muttered the sukima no youkai, as she glanced once more over to the fight near them. "Youki is losing.", she added, and Yuyuko nodded. "Just as planned." Yukari flinched, then turned her gaze to her friend.

Suddenly, Yuyuko stood up, leaving the confused Sukima no Youkai behind, and walked towards the combatants.

* * *

><p>"You're powerful, I have to give you... that!", snarled Youki, as he brought his katana once more down on Chôzens head, but the Insei no Youkai blocked it, like before. "Chô!" Before the fight could continue, a parasol hit Chôzen over the head, and then, a certain princess threw herself at the Insei, holding onto him. "That's enough, you two.", giggled Yuyuko, and gestured Youki to stop. Meanwhile, Yukari, leaning onto Chôzens shoulders, who had an annoyed expression, waved her hand at the swordsman.<p>

"Youki, please return to your duty. The leaves on the other side of Hakugyokuro are all scattered.", commanded Yuyuko with a big smile, to which the swordsman and gardener blinked, a confused expression on his face. "But I already were there.", replied the gardener. Yukari chose that moment to open a gap, which indeed showed sorted piles of leaves.

And then, suddenly, a train drove through them, and scattered them everywhere. Before the train vanished, the gap that displayed the piles of leaves, or rather what had been piles of leaves, closed. The last that could be heard of the train was a loud horn in the distance...

Youkis expression was hilarious, his mouth was agape, his eyes hidden in shadows, sweatdrops as big as apples hanging from his head. And then, as a broom fell out of a gap right in front of him, he bowed down, took the broom, and with slumped shoulders, trotted away, dark clouds hovering around his head.

"So, now let us go inside, shall we?", chuckled Yukari, as she and Yuyuko watched Youki leave. But as no reply followed, both girls, leaning against Chôzen, turned to him. And fell to the ground as they found Chôzen gone.

* * *

><p>Somewhere else, a being without past, present and future, trotted down some stairs, no goal in mind.<p>

* * *

><p><em>About 1350 years ago, Gensokyo - Netherworld, Hakugyokuro<em>

"Oh my, look, little Youmu!", exclaimed Yuyuko, looking towards the door, where a certain swordsman stood, a being without past, present and future behind him. "Good evening, Yuyuko-sama. I thought it might interest you that we have a guest.", spoke Youki as he bowed. "Ah, thank you, Youki. Good evening, Chôzen.", replied Yuyuko, smiling at her guest. But the being of indifference just looked at her like he always did. But at least, he nodded.

"Youki, you can return to your duty.", spoke Yuyuko, and Youki nodded. Then, he left. With him gone, Chôzen Gekido stepped into the room, looking around. "What is your desire, Chôzen Gekido?", asked Yuyuko, gesturing him to sit down by the table nearby.

"Nothing. I desire nothing.", he replied, sitting down. Yuyuko herself sat down, and then gestured Youmu to come over. The young girl, now less frightened than a century before, still seemed to be relucant when it came to being near Chôzen Gekido. But nontheless, she went over to Yuyuko, and sat down next to her, a faint blush on her face.

"Do you really desire nothing?", asked Yuyuko, turning back to Chôzen. "Nothing but information.", he replied. "Information? About what?", asked the princess of the netherworld. Suddenly, Chôzens eyes narrowed. "Nanatsu no Taizai, the Shinigami working under Shikieiki Yamaxanadu." And at that, Yuyuko began to giggle.

"I see...", chuckled the darkhaired princess, "...it didn't go unnoticed that you have taken interest in her." But Chôzens eyes stared narrowed. "I do not take interest in her, it is rather what she commands. The seven deadly sins, the thing reality is build on. The path of nihilism spoke about them, but I have never encountered what it was talking of.", huffed Chôzen... and yet, a faint blush appeared on the normally indifferent being.

"That so?", chuckled Yuyuko. "But why are you asking me?" Chôzen Gekido, having turned away his eyes before, turned them back to her. "I need to ask someone who works with her, but yet is not close to her.", he replied. "Ah yes, I am truly fitting for that. I work indirectly with her, after all, as she is responsible for the dead ones that have given into the seven sins too much.", chuckled Yuyuko, and he nodded.

"What do you want to know about her?" Chôzen did not reply, so Yuyuko chuckled once more. "I see.", she sighed, then leaned back. "Youmu, could you please go outside to your grandfather?", requested Yuyuko, and the young girl seemed to be pretty eager to leave the room with the being of nihilism behind.

"So...", chuckled Yuyuko, as the young girl was gone. "Nanatsu no Taizai... you want to know as much as possible...", muttered Yuyuko, and then, a big smirk appeared on her face. "You really have taken interest in her..."

* * *

><p><em>About 1200 years ago, Gensokyo - Netherworld, Hakugyokuro<em>

Youmu Konpaku walked through Hakugyokuro, confused about where her mistress was. Her grandfather had sent her to find the princess, which had apparently retreated to her room before. But as much as she had tried, Yuyuko Saigyouji was nowhere to be found.

Just as she was about to give up, Youmu found herself in a part of Hakugyokuro that she was forbidden to enter, it was said that this part belonged to Yuyuko Saigyouji's ancestors. Though she knew she was forbidden to enter it, curiosity had several times tried to get the better of her... and this time, as she heard a weeping coming from there, she decided to find out what exactly was there that she was forbidden to see.

It was dark in the corridords, some oil lamps that were almost out of oil illuminated this part of Hakugyokuro, giving it an eerie atmosphere... Normally, Youmu Konpaku, who was terribly afraid of spirits (especially evil ones) aside those which she knew, wouldn't have dared to enter here... but it was the fact that the weeping sounded so incredibly familiar that made her swallow her fear and enter the dark part of the shrine of the netherworld.

Her ghost half, Myon, closely at her side, the young swordsman entered the dark corridors. Avoiding cobwebs and spiders, she made her way through two corridors, went right at an intersection and almost had a heart-attack when one of the floorboards beneath her squeaked. But as soon as she, and Myon, had calmed down, the young swordsman finally dared to open one of the sliding doors... totally overseeing the dry red on it. A fatal mistake that would increase her fear of ghosts that she had in the future.

Holding her mouth close, the gasp stuck in her throat, Youmu stumbled back into the corridor, stumbled over her own feet and landed on her rear, crawling against the wall behind her, pressing her back to it, Myon hugged closely. The room she had almost entered... was full of corpses. Corpses. Humans with empty gazes. Was this where the entire former Saigyouji Clan and their followers had ended up? Was this them?

Suddenly, the weeping increased by several times, a heartbreaking cry echoing through the corridors of the forbidden Hakugyokuro. A cry, coming from the room behind Youmu. She had almost bolted, hoping that she would see the daylight again, if not for one very important detail. The cry belonged to her future mistress, Yuyuko Saigyouji. "MOTHER!" In a flash, Youmus adrenaline kicked in, she drew the swords she had gotten from her grandfather and mentor Youki, and rushed to the next door, the room of corpses long forgotten.

Throwing the door open with all might she had, she jumped into the room, ready to defend her mistress... and stopped, her body paralyzed. Before her lay a giant room... nothing illuminating it aside the thousands and thousands of candles, each one standing in front of a picture. The only persons in the room sat on their knees aside Youmu, one of them Yuyuko Saigyouji, weeping into the shoulder of a person Youmu would've least expected.

Youmo looked surprised and confused at Chôzen Gekido, sitting on his knees, hugging Yuyuko Saigyouji. "C-Chôzen-sama?", muttered the young Youmu. in the last century, she had finally stopped fearing the nihilist, who had become... different. He was not as indifferent as before, had begun to show smiles now and then... Youmu still didn't know why, only that she liked his change... she even had begun sparring with him now and then.

And here he was, holding a crying Yuyuko. "What is wrong with Yuyuko-sama, Chôzen-sama?", asked the young Youmu. The former nihilist rose his gaze to her.

"Fear not Youmu. Yuyuko will soon be alright... she´s just a little confused... about herself, about her might. The future events that will come are something even I can´t negate. Past and present may bow to me, history does... but future is not a thing I can negate. I have no future on my own as I negate any future that touches me, but the future of other beings is nothing I can manipulate. If I do, another future will just take the former ones place, almost the same. There are so many possibilities ahead, even I can´t negate them all. Not now, and not in 100 000 years...", he replied, keeping one straight tone and a straight face throughout his explanation. A thing that hadn't changed about him.

Youmu, terribly confused, didn't understand. But suddenly, he rose from his place. "Take that place for me... it is your place to be at her side, not mine. I cannot give the warmth she is searching for, as I have none. But you... you are the person she needs. You are the one destined to be at her side.", he spoke, his gaze resting on Youmu.

"Chôzen-sama?", whispered Youmu confused. "Comfort her... she needs it.", he sighed, walking past Youmu. But just as he was aside her, he stopped. "Meet me at the cliff nearby at sunset.", he spoke... and then, left the room, not once turning back. And all Youmu could do was to move to the mistress she would eventually serve... and put her arms around the princess neck, hoping for her to stop crying.

* * *

><p>The young Youmu stood, on the same day, on a cliff of the netherworld, Chôzen next to her. They were watching the sunset in silence, not one word had been lost about what had happened this afternoon. Until Youmu finally decided that it was enough silence... she had spent the whole afternoon in perfect silence, holding the crying princess until she herself had lost the track of time completely.<p>

"Chôzen-sama.. you called me here for something important. What is it?", asked the young Youmu. Chôzen sighed deeply, something totally unusual for the indifferent male, that could say anything in the world as if it did not matter to him.

"You do remember Yuyukos behaviour form before, did you? I fear fate is about to do a horrible thing to her. She will be confused afterward, not the same anymore... Fate has its ways, believe me. But promise me one thing, Youmu. You, as Yuyukos closest person... be her voice of reason. For now, and all eternity. I may not return for a long time, but when I do, I want to see a relationship, may it be that of a surperior and a subordinate, a friendship or something more...", he began, turning his gaze towards Youmu.

"In a few centuries, I want the bond between you and Yuyuko to be so strong, that even my negation skills won´t be able to break it, as hard as I try. Do you hear me? Yuyuko just needs a person that she can trust, a person like you. I may be Yuyukos friend, but I can never become the person she searches for and needs. But you... you are that one. Keep her safe, light her way in days of eternal darkness... be her guard in times dark."

Youmu looked confused at him, for once, because he said things as if something big and bad was going to happen ...and because he actually changed his expression and tone of voice as he spoke.

"I don´t understand... but I promise, I will never let Yuyuko-sama down!" "Smart child.", he chuckled. "Thank you.", muttered Youmu, suddenly blushing a little. "Watch over Yuyuko with your live, you got me?", asked Chôzen, and Youmu smiled and nodded. "I will devote my life to her. I´ll be her light in the darkness, her voice of reason!"

And at that, Chôzen began to laugh. "Long ago, I would've said that light and darkness are the same, and even yet I cannot completely get away from that... if you look at the sunset, you will see what I mean, it is light and it is darkness, it is both at the same time... the sunset is what I think of when I hear the word 'reincarnation', but I simply do not know why...", he muttered to no in particular as it appeared... and then,he sighed once more, his expression becoming serious.

"You've seen them, haven't you?", he asked. "Hm?", asked Youmu in return. "Them. When I left the room of memoriam this afternoon, I have seen the open door... You have seen them, the former generation of the Saigyouji Clan and their followers." Youmu flinched as the memory of the corpses returned to her, now that her suspicions were confirmed, even more shocked than before.

"Y-Yes...", she whispered, and Chôzen sighed. "Didn't you wonder who had killed them?", asked Chôzen, and Youmu gulped. "N-not exactly...", she replied, honest. "...it was...", Chôzen let out the deepest sigh that Youmu had heard from him. "...your future mistress, Yuyuko Saigyouji. She is responsible for the death of her ancestors and their followers, she is the reason why you, Youki and she are all alone in Hakugyokuro, if one does not count the corpses."

"WHAT?", gasped Youmu, refusing to believe what she had just heard. "Deny it, but it is true. Yuyuko Saigyouji has the ability to invoke death on will... but her ability sometimes gets beyond the point where she can control it... once, when it got out of control... she killed everyone in Hakugyokuro but two people...", whispered Chôzen, a deep sigh following his explanation.

"You and Youki. It was a miracle, a young girl lying in the middle of pools of blood had been left unharmed, and an old man that had originally retired from working underneath the Saigyouji actively had survived the power that caused everyone to kill themselves... Not all killed themselves. The weak ones just fell to the ground, no light in their eyes, while the stronger ones struggled somewhere in between life and death... and in their madness, decide to take the easy way out of it."

"N-no... no, that cannot be...", began Youmu, but Chôzen send her a sharp gaze. "But it is. But since that event, Yuyuko could control their powers perfectly... only had she not the heart to let everyone she knew go... that is why the corpses are still there, this is why she often goes there, into the forbidden part, and spends nights and days crying. That is the reason...", he whispered.

"W-Why are you telling me such an horrible thing?", asked Youmu silently, tears in her eyes. "Cause you deserve to know. You are going to devote your life for Yuyuko. The question is... are you still going to do it, now that you know the truth?", asked the indifferent being. As he turned his head to Youmu, he was surprised when a Katana neared him. Rising his hand to block it, he gasped as he felt it. Pain. A hot liquid running down his hand.

"I will still serve her! How dare you to put my loyality into question, Chôzen-sama!", cried the young Youmu. As the indifferent being looked down to the cut in his hand, his eyes softened... and then, he began to chuckle. "It amazes me... the power of honest emotion. Is this why I am feeling this way for Nanatsu no Taizai? Is that why I do not regret leaving my indifference behind?", he whispered. "To cut the skin that negates pain... is an amazing thing, Youmu...", chuckled Chôzen, confusing Youmu.

"From now on, Youmu Konpaku... You shall be the one serving Yuyuko Saigyouji, the girl with the blades of emotion, the blades forged by youkai, powered by emotions.. the things they cannot cut are close to nothing, as long as you power them with the right emotions...", whispered Chôzen... and then, embraced Youmu, holding the crying girl close.

* * *

><p><em>About 1140 years ago, Gensokyo - Netherworld, Hakugyokuro<em>

_Music: Sadness and Sorrow Version 2_

**Drip.** "No..." **Drip. **"..it cannot be..."** Drip. Drip. Drip. **"Youki... what... have I done..." **Drip. Drip. DRIP. **"That noise!" **DRIP. **"...it hurts... make it stop...!" **DRIP! DRIP! **"MAKE IT STOP!" **KASCHING!**

The door opened and I stepped into the room of memoriam, very well knowing that Yuyuko would be here if she wasn't inside her room. But as I turned to close the door silently behind me, I froze as my eyes trailed over a red puddle on the ground, flowing in between the pictures. Blood... **Drip. Drip. Drip. **

I flinched as my sensitive ears picked up the noise of a liquid dripping to the ground. Not caring about closing the door, I turned towards the direction of the noise, also the direction the blood was coming from, and began to step towards it.

The corner of the room, usually illuminated by the candles of the room, was completey dark this time, and even my bright eyes didn't illuminate it from where I stood. But as I came closer to the corner, I saw it. And picked up speed until I was almost running, not caring about the blood I stepped in. The blood of two persons.

As I finally reached the corner and stared at the corpse to my feet, I stopped, right aside the female bowed over the darkhaired girl, crying. "Y-Yukari... wha-what has happened?", I managed to get out. The blonde youkai flinched, then slowly turned around, staring at me with red eyes. "Y-Yuyuko... she... she...!", began Yukari, but she never managed to finish the sentence, as she began to cry again.

I let my gaze trail from Yuyuko Saigyoujis corpse to that of an old man,leaned against the wall, his own sword piercing his heart, his own hand still holding onto it. "N-no... don't tell me...", I whispered as realisation hit me. "Y-yes... her power... has driven... Youki to suicide...", whispered Yukari in between sobs, staring at the lifeless form of the swordsman, his blood flowing on the ground. But not only was it flowing on the ground, it also had hit several candles, extinguishing them, and some of them were also knocked over, possibly as he stumbled into his death.

"And... and why is she...?", I whispered, not daring ot finish the sentence. "I... I tried to stop her... but... but she just... she cried she couldn't take it anymore and... and then... the... the dagger...", Yukari broke into another horrible fit of crying, leaving me shocked at the scene before me... Youki Konpaku, driven to madness by Yuyukos uncontrollable power, had done suicide... and Yuyuko herself, a dagger with the symbol of the Saigyouji Family, a sakura petal, stuck in her chest...

"Use me..." Yukari and I flinched as Yuyukos mouth moved, but her eyes stayed void of life. "Use me to seal... the Saigyouji... Ayakashi... the demon tree has... lived long enough... it was his power... that made mine go mad... In the end... I shall... have my revenge and be the one... that seals him...", spoke Yuyuko. Suddenly, the void gaze turned to Yukari. "...please, Yukari...", she whispered... and then, her arm went limp.

* * *

><p>And that was how Yuyukos corpse was buried underneath the Saigyouji Ayakashi by Chôzen and Yukari. The demonic tree should get what he deserved, his victim being the one sealing him... forever.<p>

Only a few days after the seal was placed, a pinkhaired ghost emerged from within the tree, saying that she had returned. It was the Yuyuko Chôzen remembered, it was the Yuyuko that Yukari had befriended with... and yet, she was not the same. The princess with the unusual long life span for a human had in the end become a whimsical ghost acting on her whims... but her power should never get the better of her again...

* * *

><p><em>Present, Gensokyo - Netherworld, Hakugyokuro<em>

"Yuyuko-sama, is everything alright?" The ghost princess flinched and looked up to see Youmu standing before her with a worried expression. "Yes... everything is alright. I was just... remembering something.", muttered Yuyuko, to which the swordsman blinked. "How odd to see you worry about something...", replied Youmu, surprised.

Her mistress forced a smile. "it is alright... but I have one question, Youmu...", asked the princess of the netherworld, one hand moving through her pink hair. "...have you never wondered where Youki went?" Youmu seemed to be surprised at that. "But Yuyuko-sama... you said it yourself, he has decided that I was old enough to serve you and take his place... that he went out to see the world to become an even better swordsman... I trust him. I know he is somewhere out there, practicing.", smiled Youmu.

"Yeah... he probably is...", chuckled Yuyuko, looking down at her hands. "He probably is...", she whispered. And inside she knew... that she would never be able to tell the young swordsman what had really happened to her grandfather...

* * *

><p>Outside the room, sitting on top of the roof, a greyhaired ghost with a grey beard, wearing green clothes, a katana on his left side and a wakizashi on his right side, sighed. "No... I am not practicing... I am watching over you two... Forever... Suicide... is nothing more than the proof of life for the Saigyouji and Konpaku Family.", he whispered.<p>

* * *

><p><em>This is a sad chapter... towards the end, at least.<em>

_I hope it is worthy of Yuyuko Saigyouji and does fit her background. I myself have always imagined it like this... it was only said that Yuyuko had indeed commited suicide because of her powers... but was that the trigger? And where had Youki vanished to? For me... this seems to be connected._

_So yeah. This was it about this chapter. Hope you liked it...I did, though I think it is pretty sad... but Yuyuko, despite being so cheery and whimiscal... has indeed such a sad backstory..._

_That should be all... until the next update!_

_So long!_


	8. 7 Breaking Apart! An end to the love?

_What's up? Im back! And I am truly sorry for you being left waiting so long. As I had said in the chapters before, I am experiencing techincal difficulties, sometimes to the point where I can't manage to write a single word. Stupid computer... hope I get that fixed soon. While I touch at it... on my profile, I wrote "Next Update planned for". The day I mention there is the day I originally want to update, but I do not include the technical difficulties in my calculation because they happen apparently completely random. If I notice that I won't manage to finish an update for that day (mostly happening on that day or the day before), I place the update for two days later. If I do not manage to upload it then, I move it back another day. Like this time. And I am truly sorry for that, really._

_Yeah, so here goes another installment to 0-Negative Memory. And, as the chapter title may imply, this is really the second "Nanatsu&Chôzen Chapter", continuing near to where Chapter 5 - The Sin, left off. So yes, after I left you practically hanging there in chapter 5 - The Sin, not knowing what in gods name had happened (Uhm, Nanatsu declared something that doesn't fit I-NB?). But that shall change now. This chapter is quite important, it is one of the main factors leading to I-NB, the present._

_While the former "Nanatsu&Chôzen Chapter" focused on how they met and got together, this one is quite the opposite, it will focus on how they seperated. Yep, this chapter will finally reveal how Chôzen and Nanatsu seperated onethousand years ago, the cause for them to break apart and live their own lives again._

_Yes, that is horrible, I know. And the reason is truly horrible. I do not want to experience what they do. While this is the second "Nanatsu&Chôzen chapter", it won't contain much of Nanatsu herself... this is rather the aftermath of what happened. I know, that isn't nice of me, cause you surely want to read their argument but... let's just say it the way it is: I honestly do not know how to write that argument. I tried about four times, and each time I wrote it, I stopped halfway, either because I didn't know how to continue, or because it just sucked. _

_But still, it is about Nanatsu and Chôzen, so this is still their chapter, even if another person is included far more than Nanatsu herself._

_Hope you can forgive me that._

_*Klaxons start blaring*_

_CAUTION! To understand this chapter, you must have read I-NB up to chapter 45 (even if reading up to the most recent chapter would be even better), and you must have read 0-NB chapter 4 and chapter 5._

_*Klaxons stop* _

_So... let us finally reveal what happened thousand years ago to shatter the love between Chôzen Gekido and the shinigami Nanatsu no Taizai... shall we?_

_DISCLAIMER: I do not own Touhou, Team Shanghai Alice / ZUN does. However, Chôzen Gekido and Nanatsu no Taizai are mine._

* * *

><p><em><strong>Chapter 7: Breaking Apart ~ An end to the love?<strong>_

_About 1000 years ago (5 and a half months after the end of Chapter 5), Outside World - Japan, Tokio_

Putting the key into the lock, humming a little song, I couldn't await to see my wife. If it was true what she told me those months ago, she was pregnant in the third month, meaning that she was now in the eight. Only a little time would remain and we would be finally a little family... Geez, looking back, I cannot understand AT ALL what made me take the path of nihilism? Why giving up my emotions...? Just for some power? How power-crazed had I exactly been?

Well, the door opened with a click, so I pushed it open, continuing to hum my sweet melody. But the first thing that I noticed was that it was dark. Very dark. Wasn't Nanatsu home? I mean, it is late in the evening when I get home from my job (yeah, I have one, after all it would look suspicious if I behaved different than humans while I looked like one) and Nanatsu was usually at home... but now, seeing our whole house dark, made me wonder if she was home? Maybe she left a note somewhere?

Searching on the wall for the lightswitch, I eventually found it and flipped the lights on. The dim light of the lamps on the ceiling illuminated the corridor, into which I stepped, letting my gaze trail through it for any clues of where Nanatsu was. I saw none so far, so I turned around and closed the door behind me.

With the door closed, I rose an eyebrow and walked down the corridor, gazing into the empty rooms on each side of me. No sign of Nanatsu in the deepest darkness...the kitchen was empty, the living room, the bathroom... just as I was about to look into the guest room, which was located right next to the stairs, I heard it. Crying, coming from upstairs.

The moment that I heared it, I immediately could tell it was Nanatsu's crying, which of course instantly hit my alarm bells. Jumping the stairs up in just a few jumps, I reached the upper end of the stairs, where I immediately scanned the corridor for the door the crying was coming from. It turned out to be our bedroom, so I rushed for the door, moved my shoulder and rammed it against the door, throwing it open effectively, knocking it out of its hinges.

In the semi-dark bedroom, the only light coming from the stairs and my eyes, I could see her clearly on the ground, sitting on her knees, her head lowered as tears fell from her cheeks. "N-nana...", I whispered, carefully stepping into the room. The same moment I did, the thunderstorm outside finally made itself noticeable, a bold of lightning illuminating the dark of the cloudy heaven.

The Shinigami I had fallen in love with, I had married, I was going to have a child with... was just sitting there, crying like there was no tomorrow... she had apparently cried quite a while now, or so I guess. "Nanatsu...", I repeated as I went onto my knees next to her, a hand placed softly on her shoulder. She rose her gaze to me, stared at me with red, swollen eyes, red from all the tears...

"Nanatsu,what... what has happened?", I asked carefully... Nanatsu was no woman to cry, the only moment I had ever seen her cry was when we married, but that had been tears of joy, unlike these... these were tears of sadness. "Ch-Chô...", she whispered, throwing her arms around me, crying into my shoulder, staining my buisness suit with her tears.

"Chô... I... I...", she repeated in between tears, mumbling something into my shoulder. "What? What has happened to you!", I insisted, laid my hands around her, holding her close. "It was... our... it was a..."

The word that followed shattered my entire world.

* * *

><p><em>3 days later...<em>

My back leaned against the tree, my gaze rosen into the night sky, I waited. Waited for her to arrive. A movement by the bench near me made me look over there. And I found who I had waited for. Pushing myself off the tree, I began walking towards her, just as she had sat down onto the bench. "Thank you for coming, Yukari...", I spoke, to which the blonde sukima lifted her gaze.

"How could I not? Your message sounded pretty urgent.", replied the sukima no youkai, and made some space for me to sit next to her. _"You have no idea how urgent, Yukari..."_, I thought to myself as I plopped down next to her, letting out a loud sigh.

"So, what was so urgent?", she asked me, looking at the empty and dusty path before us. "Im coming back to Gensokyo with you... this night.", I replied, letting out a second, deep sigh. _"Just how did it come to this? What have I done to deserve this? ...Maybe the path of nihilism isn't as imperfect as I believed..."_

"What do you mean with that? And where is Nanatsu?", asked Yukari, raising an eyebrow. Hearing the name of my... wife... hearing it broke the barriers within me once more, made me feel weak and lonely. A third sigh escaped me as I leaned forwards, moving one hand through my hair, then, the hand stayed at the back of my neck.

"That's it, Yukari... Nanatsu and I... we are through, I fear.", I muttered, apparently much to Yukaris surprise, as her eyes went wide. "Excuse me?", asked Yukari, shock present on her face.

"Things... aren't the same anymore. Nanatsu and I... three days ago,we... had an argument. It escalated... and I left. I've been wandering around aimlessly since then... and after realising that it is over, I searched for Ran, well knowing that she was in this world to do something for you... and gave her the message that you should pick me up here.", I breathed, feeling my own body tremble...

_"Why... why, Nanatsu?"_, I thought, feeling a tear escape my left eye. Suddenly, I felt an arm around me. Turning my gaze to Yukari, I found that it was her arm... she was trying to comfort me, was she? But she herself felt uncomfortable with the situation, I could see it, she was looking elsewhere, at nothing in particular...

"I have... and we came to the conclusion that it had no use anymore... that wasn't our first argument, lately, we've been having more and more... and this time, it was too much...", I muttered, wipping my tears away. _"I don't want this to stop... Our love... I want it to continue... but can it continue? Can this go on now that this has happened?"_

"...are you really sure?", asked Yukari, as she rose from her seat, opening a gap. _"Am I sure? Nanatsu says it is over... so I am alone again. I have to decide for myself again, only for me, and for no one else... so am I ready..."_, I moved my right hand through my hair again. "I am.", I muttered and nodded, but I said it not only to Yukari, but to myself as well... Now that my decision was made, I pushed away all doubts and stood up as well.

_"Now I finally understand. I have been wrong all those centuries ago..." _**"Yes you were..." ** _"The path of nihilism is anything but imperfect... _**"It is perfect, flawless. Love... is the final..."** _"It was simply the last thing to overcome..." _**"Yes... The path fooled you..."** _"It did that on purpose, let me believe I had left it behind... the path of nihilism pretended to be gone, to succumb to the love..." _**"You are weak... let me take over... I am strong..." **_"Yes...take over... destroy me... turn it all black..."_

Slowly, what was around me seemed to become nothing but black, oblivious to me as I was pushed into the back of my own head.._. _"I was wrong. The path of nihilism is flawless. The love is the last thing to overcome... the path makes sure that **every love will break.", **I heard myself chuckle in an insane way... but my voice seemed to be far away...

"Chôzen, is everything alright?", I heard Yukari ask me, but I couldn't care less about her... Everything was irrelevant. **"You're weak... Stay where you are now, in the everlasting darkness, so I can finally take my body back... I will once more be the king...!"** Hearing the voice, I looked in the darkness I hovered in... and chuckled. So this was the darkness within me... how ironic... that it was so dense and big all the time within me and I had never noticed it... how strong it was opposed to me...

**"I believe he isn't okay... King got some serious problems...", **I heard my own voice say to Yukari, higher than usual and distorted. And suddenly, as if a blindfold was taken off, I realised what I was about to do. _"No!" _**"What?" **_"I won't let you get through with this! Using a moment of weakness!"_ I extended my arms to the sides, concentrated, absorbing energy from the area around, absorbing green particles that appeared out of nothing, as well as the darkness. _"I bow to no one! But you will definetly bow to me!"_ **"No!"**_"Didn't you listen to me? I said..."_ That moment, I exploded in green light.. and opened my eyes, finding myself in Yukaris arms.

"...go away...", I finished, raising my gaze to Yukari... my body back to my control. "Sorry about that...", I growled, surpressing the headache that I now had. "That freak always seeks an opportunity to take over...", I chuckled, somewhat amused by this turn of events. "Who is he?", asked Yukari, blinking.

With a quick movement, I freed myself from Yukaris grip, and stumbled towards the gap. "Who he is?", I asked, glaring over my shoulder at Yukari. I wasn't anrgy at her... I was rather angry at myself for letting that freak return. "Chôzen Gekido.", I answered my own question... _"That is who he is, Yukari... he is Chôzen Gekido.. not me, he is..."_ Yukaris eyes widened and she took a step back. "T-then who are you?", she exclaimed.

* * *

><p>For a moment, all I saw was eyes passing me as I fell with great speed through Yukaris gap world, despite there being no actual rule inside it, like gravity or something like that. But that moment of feeling nothing was over only all too quick, as a white gap came into my view, into which I was now falling.<p>

On the other side of it, I immediately spun around and landed on my feet. The grass beneath me was still wet, apparently, it had rained recently. Moving my gaze up, I found myself near the Hakurei Shrine, which looked just as I had last seen it, back a century ago when Nanatsu and I left Gensokyo. But I knew that the old shrine maiden was surely no longer. Her descendant had possibly already taken it over.

As I looked at the shrine, which was looking simply breathtaking in the orange light of the sunset, I noticed something off right in front of it. It was a green flame, looking a lot like my flame-soul, hovering before the donation box. It seemed to be calm, careless... until it suddenly began to shake, flew in a circle... and then, dashed for me.

On reflex, I lifted my arms to block an incoming attack, but instead of attacking me, the flame stopped in front of me, and seemed calm and collected again, barely moving. Then, slowly, it began to circle me, as if it was curious about me.

But then, it suddenly darted into the direction of the shrine, but stopped as it noticed that I wasn't following it. It flew back to me, circled me again, then darted towards the shrine again. Maybe it wanted to show me something? _**"Indeed it does. It said you shall follow."**_ Hearing my flame-soul speak up, which it only did once in a while, I could only sigh. Having two voices inside my head other than my own is horrible, often annoying. What I mean are the voice of my flame-soul and that of... Chôzen Gekido.

_"Maybe I should look what it has to show me...?"_ I looked at my flame-soul, which seemed to nod, then turned to that flame and walked towards it. As it saw me walking towards it, it began to move up and down in what appeared to be excitement, then flew past the shrine.

As I rounded the corner, I found that flame hovering near a tombstone. Well, it couldn't really be called tombstone, it was rather a stone dedicated to the creator of Gensokyo... Mima Hakurei... Was it possible that... this flame was a soul... the soul of... Mima? After all, all I know is that Mima has sacrifized herself, burst apart into sparkles instead of leaving back a mortal body. The sparkles had been absorbed by the Hakurei Border, strengthened and stabilized it... so this just couldn't be Mima, could it?

"There you are, Chôzen." I sighed as I heard the voice, then turned to Yukari, who was right behind me. "Looking at Gensokyos past?", asked Yukari. "No, I was...", as I spoke, I turned around, looked back at the stone... but the flame, the soul, I had seen was gone.

"So, mind if you finally tell me what happened?", asked Yukari, sitting down onto one of her gaps. "I rather not, but I fear you would just continue to ask me.", I sighed, to which the sukima nodded. "Fine.", I growled. "You want to know what was the cause for the arguement I had with Nanatsu, right?", I asked. Again, Yukari nodded.

"It was... Yukari, you know that Nanatsu was pregnant, right?", I asked. At that, Yukari smiled. "Sure. You were all excited... but what do you mean with 'was'? Are you... oh my god, the kid was born! Is it with Nanatsu?", asked Yukari, suddenly excited. She wasn't getting the hint, I fear.

"It is not.", I sighed, moving my hand once again through my hair. "Not? Where is it th-.." "...dead. It was a stillbirth."

Silence. Absolute, perfect silence. Yukari looked at me, her face void of any expression. No word was spoken. But I knew I had to explain... I knew how much Yukari had wanted to be the godmother... she, as one of my closest friends deserves to know...

"When I got home three days ago, the whole house was dark. When I went upstairs, I found Nanatsu sitting on the ground, crying. It took me some time to get her to even notice I was there... but when she did, all she said was that... our kid was a stillbirth.", I sighed, looking down to the ground.

"Are you... serious?", asked Yukari. **"OF COURSE NOT, YOU OLD HAG! I'M JUST KIDDING! ARE YOU FUCKING WITH ME? OF COURSE I AM SERIOUS!" **Yukari jumped back at my outburst, or rather that of the darkness within me... that of Chôzen Gekido.

Quickly, I pushed him away again, got back in control, but fell to my knees. "Just what is wrong with you...?", muttered Yukari as I got back onto my feet. "Don't ask...", I growled, pushing away the headache, the pain and the sadness. "But he is right, Yukari... I am serious... hell, if I weren't serious, I wouldn't be here! Nanatsu has left me because she couldn't bear being reminded of her lost child, said that whenever she looked at me, she saw it again...!"

Yukari looked very serious, something totally out of character for her. "What are you going to do now? Are you just accepting it?", she asked, making me growl louder. "No.. But I have no other chance than to do. Nanatsu doesn't want to be with me anymore...you should know me better than that... If she does not want me... I cannot do anything about it... I can no longer chose my own fate, the path of nihilism now decides for me... and now that the final event has happened, the emotion of love shattered... I can only return to what I am supposed to be... the nihilist I truly am..."

"Chôzen...", breathed Yukari, now looking at me with an expression of sadness, worry... and pity. The thing I did not need. "Don't pity me, Yukari. I do not deserve being pitied. As I told you long ago... I do not bow to anyone... and no one bows to me..."

Without another word, I looked a last time at the stone dedicated to Mima Hakurei, silently wondering if the flame I had seen was just my imagination playing tricks on me... then, I walked past Yukari, leaving her behind... it was time ton finally become who I had been all the time... the chosen one... I had been, all along, destined to be the chosen one, the one to negate existence as it is once the 666th millenia begins... now that I have lost it all, I am only reminded of it.

* * *

><p><em>Music: Chôzen Gekido's theme: A2 - Chosen One<em>

I can't remember why I chose to walk the path of nihilism, I was destined to the day I was born. The path had made me forget it all... anything at all. After I walked it, I stopped turning things around, stopped looking at things with prejudices, I looked at them like they were... all the same.

...still, I had been blinded by love. I'm sorry... oh, so sorry... Nanatsu, I shouldn't have met you at all. I am the destroyer... I have destroyed your life like the existence I will have to destroy. In one single moment, your world has been shattered... and I am the cause of it. Your tears are the proof of what I am... the destroyer... is this what I have become? The destroyer? ...Heh... No... I had been it all along.

Even when my ability was only to invoke negativity in persons, I couldn't do any good for them... I could only destroy their lives... why? ...Sometimes, I wish I was never born at all... In my try to save the world... I could only destroy it. In the end, I am, after all... the chosen one.

And now, here I am, walking down a dusty path without any idea of where I am going at all... just like it has been since the moment I had become the nihilist, the destroyer, the moment that the path of nihilism laid upon me... 20 077 years ago, I have thrown the key away to the shackles that make me who I am now. ...no, I have placed them then. While the shackles had always been around me, I placed them when I finished the path of nihilism, very well knowing that there was no key at all...

When I had no power, in between my birth and "finishing" the path of nihilism, I had been weak, unable to place the shackles around me. When I finished the path, I was finally able to lift them... I placed them around me, sealed my fate. The wheel of fate stopped turning, no longer heaven or hell (1)... Just nothingness, nothing at all. How happy I had been the moment before it all became the same... I had been happy that I would no longer be forced to feel anything at all.

And here I am, once again crying. Once again hurt. Once again weak. But that will change. Now that the true final event of the path of nihilism is over, the so-called strongest and most pure emotion, love, lying shattered behind me... I can finally be truly indifferent, truly emotionless... truly a void... truly the walking enigma, the youkai without past, present, future... and with only one purpose: Remain until the end... then create it. The end. The armageddon. Ragnarok. Apocalypse... the end of everything.

Because I am... the chosen one.

* * *

><p>(1) Guilty Gear, a fighting game, starts each round with the quote "The wheel of fate is turning! Heaven or Hell? Round 1! Let's Rock!"<p>

_Chôzen Gekido is the chosen one... the nihilist... the chosen pessimist... his pain must be incredible, even if he pretends to be alright. He can only destroy, not create... he destroyed Nanatsu's life that moment, even if indirectly. And yet, a thousand years later, she is with him again... she forgave him for destroying her life... how is that possible? I do not know myself... maybe the love between them was not entirely shattered. But since this is of the past, Chôzen cannot know what eventually happens in I-Negative Bullet._

_So yeah, I chose "A2 - Chosen one" to be Chôzens theme song (don't be confused, Nihilist Chôzens Theme song is "In Flames - the chosen pessimist"). Why? Because it fits him, especially in the present (I-NB), when he does indeed not remember anything, like the song says in the very beginning._

_Stillbirth must be horrible. I do not know it, sorry... I don't even have a girlfriend yet (I suck, I know)... I can only imagine how much pain it must be... but I think it comes close to endless pain... I mean, you lose a person you love... your own flesh and blood... I remember than someone close to me had such a case... she cried for such a long time... it made us all sad..._

_...I don't want to talk anylonger about it... it makes me feel sad to think about so much pain..._

_See you next update... so long..._


	9. 8 A last emotion

_**SorrowfulReincarnation:**__ Yo, what's up? I'm deeply sorry it took me so long to update... I had problems with the technical difficulties... and I was not allowed to use my computer. I had problems sleeping in the last weeks... had problems getting up in the morning for school... and yeah. Lead to my parents telling me that I was forbidden to use my computer. _

_But that aside... oh my god, I cannot believe we are already here. Chapter 8. I can't believe we are already at the point that I reveal how Chôzen became the nihilist, the indifferent asshole he was in before I-NB..._

_**Flame-Soul: **__Believe it! Naruto!_

_**SorrowfulReincarnation:**__ What the bloody heee... how the hell are you here?_

_**Flame-Soul: **__Why should I not be here? I don't like people talking behind my back about me so... here I am._

_**SorrowfulReincarnation:**__ ..._

_**Flame-Soul: **__Alright, lets start this, you sorry moron! Time for me to make my appearance in this for real! Come on!_

_**SorrowfulReincarnation:**__ Uh... yeah. What I was going to say was, that this chapter will have a lot of cameos, references and similiar. Wonder if anyone can find them all?_

_**Flame-Soul: **__I found them all!_

_**SorrowfulReincarnation:**__ ...you found them all? Seriously? What the bloody hell?_

_**Flame-Soul: **__Well then, I do the disclaimer!_

_**SorrowfulReincarnation:**__ Wait! Before you do that... I have one more question: How the hell can you be here without... *stops, glances to the left*_

_**Chôzen: **__...uh, hi?_

_**SorrowfulReincarnation: **__WHAT THE BLOODY HE...? *faints in shock*_

_**Chôzen: **__Uh...? Well... uhm... __SorrowfulReincarnation does not own Touhou, Team Shanghai Alice / ZUN does. However, SorrowfulReincarnation does own me (Chôzen Gekido), my flame-soul and Nanatsu no Taizai, characters he has created._

_**Flame-Soul:**__ You meanie! I wanted to do the disclaimer!_

* * *

><p><em><strong>Chapter 8: A last emotion<strong>_

_About 20 077 years ago, Digital World - South_

„_I do not know where I am. Great job…"_ I really didn't know where exactly I was, trapped inside a world inside a computer... okay, not really, rather a world aside our own… at least that was what the path of nihilism spoke about. A dragon of hatred located inside a world of data.

So that was how I ended up here, not knowing where I am. But at least… if the path of nihilism was right… this was the last! The last emotion to overcome! The last event, the one that unseals the stone-cold heart of leaving behind! The heart of nihilism! The last emotion to overcome is the hatred!

But first, I have to find the dragon that was mentioned. And I do not believe that this will be an easy task, especially since the path said that the dragon is sealed within innocence…

* * *

><p><em>And the last, the one that knows no death,<em>

_the dancing fires of hatred residing within._

_The dragon of the end, dragon of hatred,_

_dragon of armageddon._

_The innocence hides the raging core,_

_the burning hatred tormenting him._

_The lord of Gluttony unseals the rage,_

_that was kept so long within._

_The keeper of the hatred itself,_

_a young human no more._

_What once was shall be never more,_

_a girl with red hair unseals the knight._

* * *

><p>I clenched my hand, my nails digging into my own flesh. <em>"Only one remaining… then I have them all. The emotions that make up the indifference, the ones to overcome to end my suffering…! I shall be no longer weak… no longer just me… Tonight, Chôzen Gekido shall rise from the weak, shall overcome himself and end his eternal torture…"<em>

"No one! NO ONE!" Hearing someone shout, I stopped walking into the direction I was walking in and turned my head around. For the first time in quite a while, I let my gaze trail around, took in the surroundings.

I was on a plain area, the ground consisting of black tiles that reflected the crimson sky above me, darkred to black clouds swirling above. In the distance, I could make out dark shapes... possibly mountains or rock formations. However, one certain thing near me caught my attention, a gate made of red rock, a bridge leading to a half-sphere shaped building of the same rock.

Near the gate stood a group consisting of humans and... something different, I don't exactly know what. Some different species, something neither humanic nor animalic... possibly the species that is said to reside in this world, a species made of data which has almost infinite variations. The dragon I was searching for was one of these as well... but seemed not to be among those with that human childs.

"Bu-but he was just trying to help us and you...", a giant red dinosaur spoke with a trembling voice, his yellow eyes shaking with sadness... before he leaned his head forwards, his black irises turning into slits, a feral growl escaping his throat.

I frowned at that, a massive wave of negative emotions invading my mind. I could feel such, as they are to my command. My ability, was after all, the manipulation of negativity inside a being. But what really interested me was not the rage coming from the dinosaur... rather the rage coming from a human indivual, a young boy in a blue hoodie and a pair of khakis, yellow goggles on his forehead. His whole body was trembling, his fists clenched tight enough for several veins becoming visible, his teeth grinding as he forced out words.

"How could you...", he panted, "...how could you...DO THIS HORRIBLE THING!" He took a step forwards, his whole body trembling in anger. _"What in the name of...? This power!"_ I flinched as a shockwave of new anger from him hit me. I lifted my arms and blocked myself from the wave, which hit me like a train, shoved me back a few yard. As I opened my eyes, all I could see were four outstanding flames around four people... those flames were aura. Negative aura.

The first was completely crimson and definetly the biggest, belonging to the boy that had just shouted. The second aura belonged to the large dinosaur, almost as big as the first one, the same color but not as intense. The third aura belonged to what appeared to be a biker, this one only half as big as the crimson ones, but orange in color. The final one, blue in color, belonged to a girl with red hair.

Each of those aura carried different emotions to me. The crimson one of the boy carried rage, unforgiveness. The dinosaurs carried a deep hatred for something... or rather, against anything. That orange one of the biker flooded my thoughts with the gluttony, wish for more and more might... and the blue one of the girl was filled with sadness and worry... she was worried about... that guy with the yellow goggles, wasn't she?

"I'll make you hurt...", snarled the boy in the blue hoodie, "...I'LL MAKE YOU PAAAAAAY!" The scream became more and more unhumanic, caused even me to cover my ears. As he screamed, his already immense aura grew again, growing beyond limits I had ever seen, blocking every other aura out... my own was barely able to stand against this... I stood not chance at all...

Suddenly, the four black triangles on the dinosaurs stomach began to flash red for a second, just as the boy emitted a gigantic crimson light from within him. The dinosaur stepped towards him... as he did, he began to change. His upper body bulged, then ripped apart, revealing metal beneath. His claws slowly became metal as well, as did his lower jaw. And as he opened his mouth to scream, so did the boy. As if they were one and the same, their shouts echoed through the night.

RIght to them, something escalated between a boy wearing a visor and a girl with a pigtail, but my eyes stayed focused on the boy and his now partially metal-dinosaur. Something was going horribly wrong with them... the girl with the red hair seemed to notice it as well.

The biker began to say something, but I could only pick up the end of what he said, the brownhaired girl with the pigtail was crying too loud for me to pick up what was spoken over this distance. "...finish off your friends... ONE BY ONE!", shouted that biker.

"You're wrong...You're the one who's finished...!", declared the boy with the goggles, strangely clearly audible to me over the distance and the crying. _"I should move closer...!"_, I thought, then turned towards the direction and began walking towards the group. But even before I reached them, the pressure I felt became greater and greater, the aura of that boy with the goggles pushing me back... when I got a short glance at his eyes, I froze.

Human eyes shouldn't be feral like that. Not like that of a reptile. Suddenly, as the boy took a step forwards, the large dinosaur with the metal body took one too, two booster on his back igniting. He lifted off the ground, then charged forwards with speed that I hadn't imagined such a giant thing like him to have, at least not without in-run.

With his giant claw, he tried to grab the biker, who just jumped out off the way. In midair, he swung his arms upwards, two pistols with dual barrels that lay on the ground suddenly flying to him. Without aiming, the biker pulled the trigger, shooting metal bullets (no danmaku) at the dinosaur with the metal chest. I flinched when I saw and heard the first bullet impact, leaving back a large dent on the dinosaurs upper body of metal.

But instead of flinching or crying out in pain, the large dinosaur just lifted off the ground once more, rushed at his opponent. The biker gasped, shot more and more, but despite the bullets hitting and leaving back deep dents, the large dinosaur did not stop. Before he realised, it was too late for the biker, his opponent too close. The dinosaur opened his metal jaws with the jagged metal teeth... then dug them into the bikers chest.

"FINISH HIM! DO IT! TEAR HIM APART!", the boy near me shouted, surprising me. _"He is giving the dinosaur commands? The dinosaur and he... are they connected? They emit the same aura, only is this boys aura a lot stronger..." _

"Dude, what is wrong with Chumley?" I turned my head to the small group of humans near me. The visor boy had spoken to another boy, this one spectacled. "He is acting totally out of character!", shouted the spectacled one. "Takato... just what is wrong with you?", whispered the redhaired girl, looking anything but comfortable, a deep, questioning frown on her face.

A roar of pain made me turn around. The biker had hit the large dinosaur with one of his claws right into the face, sending the dinosaur, despite being several times larger, into the ground. _"What a difference in power! Why is that biker stronger than the dinosaur?"_, I thought, amazed and surprised at the scene before me. "YOU CAN'T LOSE! I WON'T ALLOW IT!", shouted the boy in the blue hoodie. _"...and what is wrong with him? Can't he see that his partner, or that is what I believe that big dinosaur is, can't win? Mere bullets break his body apart! That biker is incredibly strong!"_

"TAKATO! You're going too far! Guilmon can't go on anymore, can't you see?", exclaimed a boy with blue hair. But Takato, the boy with the blue hoodie, seemed to be deaf to the other boy's words. Instead, he took a step forwards, holding a white device with a grey screen and red frame. "I... ORDER YOU TO DIGIVOLVE! DIGIVOLVE! NOOOOOOOOW!" _"Digi-what?"_, I thought... but already felt that something bad was going to happen, especially as the boys aura exploded once more, sending me back a few feet, the unleashed power so incredible that I barely understood it... all I knew was that it was strong enough to give me a headache.

"What is this power?", gasped the bluehaired boy, raising a hand to shield his face as the wind around us picked up, a soft breeze becoming a raging storm. Suddeny, the gate began to glow crimson in power, power from the bridge behind it. I don't know where it came from... but it was strong. Very strong. And the large dinosaur with the metal chest landed before the gate... and the four triangles on his chest suddenly flashed crimson.

"You killed Leomon! You killed our friend!", screamed the Takato guy. And then I realised what was going on. The biker had killed one of their friends... that was why Takato was running mad, that was why that dinosaur had snapped... Slowly, I felt my own anger rise... and before I had even realised it, I had extended a hand to Takato and began manipulating him, put more and more hatred into him.

The biker landed not all too far from me. "What?", he shouted. "The mark on his chest is glowing! What's happening to him?", exclaimed the bluehaired boy. The flashing began to pick up speed, lightning striking through the sky above each time the sign flashed red. And then, foul winds descended from the sky, circled the dinosaur, covered him in a tornado of darkred wind. "HE'S DIGIVOLVING!", exclaimed the bluehaired guy. "Do it! THAT'S IT! DIGIVOLVE! I ORDER YOU TO DIGIVOLVE TO MEGA!", screamed Takato. "GOGGLEHEAD! STOP THIS MADNESS!"

This shout caused Takato to flinch. He turned his gaze to the redhead, which was staring at him in disbelief. And then, his expression darkened, became a look of madness. "He's becoming what he is supposed to be... the hatred itself...", he chuckled. "CHUMLEY, WHAT THE HELL?", gasped the boy with the visor, taking a step back. Takato chuckled in his madness, turned back to his partner, which had begun to change shape to something gigantic...

"Gogglehead, what is wrong with you?", gasped the redhead, but Takato simply ignored her. Instead, he watched with the expressions of a madman how the winds burst apart, revealing his changed partner... the dinosaur was no longer a dinosaur, now looked more like something in between dragon and snake... a gigantic monster.

The monster looked like a giant leg-less dragon with two giant wings, and razor sharp claws and teeth. He also has armor on his shoulders, and on his chest. And the armor on his chest was proudly displaying the same sign as before, the four triangles flashing faster than ever before.

The gigantic beast leaned his head backwards, a cry of rage escaping his mouth. At the same time, Takato leaned his head backwards as well, leaving out a cry so unhumanic that it ripped me out of my concentration... and made me realize what I had just done.

I looked around and found that everyone had gone silent, didn't move at all as they stared at the dragon in awe and fear. Even the biker had gone silent, his mouth agape, his body not daring to move.

"Something about this just doesn't feel right...", muttered a large yellow fox that was lying on the ground. "I know Guilmon is a virus type, but I never imagined he'd turn into this! It's creepy...", agreed a green cyborg-like thing with weapons instead of hands. "I agree with you guys... I don't think this was supposed to happen!", growled the bluehaired human.

"Not supposed to happen?", asked that Takato guy, glancing over his shoulder, his face emotionless. But it was quickly replaced by a mad grin. "...this was supposed to happen... THIS IS THE ARMAGEDDON!", laughed Takato.

"At that point, I disagree."

I couldn't believe my own ears as I heard my voice. The whole group of humans and... whatever they were... turned to me. I knew that I had just made them aware of my presence... and I realized that I had to stop what I had started, so I began walking towards them. "Armageddon cannot be started by you, human... The Armageddon can only be started by the chosen one, the one that walked the path of nihilism.", I spoke.

"Oh yeah? And who are you to say that!", shouted Takato, causing the large dragon to turn my way. "I am Chôzen Gekido... the true chosen one!", I exclaimed, my gaze shifting to the large dragon. _"Could this truly be the dragon of hatred? If so... I have just created him... was this how it was supposed to be? Should I be the one to unleash the hatred upon the world?"_

_And the last, the one that knows no death,_

_the dancing fires of hatred residing within._

_The dragon of the end, dragon of hatred,_

_dragon of armageddon..._

"Tch.", growled Takato, his eyes suddenly glowing crimson. "Megidramon, take care of Beelzemon. I take care of that freak here.", hissed the crimson-eyed human to his partner. Immediately, the large dragon turned towards the biker, which I suppose is Beelzemon, and rushed at him with a motion so fast that it was almost unbelievable, after all, he was way tall and heavy. Beelzemon... was he the lord of gluttony mentioned in the path of nihilism? (1)

_...The lord of Gluttony unseals the rage,_

_that was kept so long within..._

Meanwhile, Takato began walking towards me. Out of the corner of my eyes, I saw how Megidramon, that large dragon, curled his tail around Beelzemon, lifted him into the air and then smashed him over and over into the ground. Then, I turned back my eyes to Takato, who by now stood in front of me.

But yeah... this was no longer the original Takato, this was someone completely different... His eyes had begun to glow crimson from within, his brown hair had taken on a different color, was now slightly crimson. His unsure stance had turned into a self-confident, intimidating stance... his cheeriness had turned into blind rage. He was no more what he once was... so he was the keeper of hatred...

_...The keeper of the hatred itself,_

_a young human no more._

_What once was shall be never more..._

"I tell you what, Chôzen Gekido..." I flinched as he **spat** my name with disgust. "I believe I should thank you... I have a feeling that it was you who unsealed me... my raging core... the burning hatred I had kept so long within...", whispered Takato, the mad grin spreading across his face once more. "...we are similiar, ain't we? Our innocence hides our true self... the true insanity we keep within... the insanity that we are..." His words made me shiver in fear... and yet, something inside me listened closely, attracted by the words... my insanity listened...

_The innocence hides the raging core,_

_the burning hatred tormenting him._

_"What if the path of nihilism didn't speak about someone else... what if it was about me? That part... it doesn't necessarily hint to someone else... All the events before... I never had to do anything but find where they happen... but this time... this time I unleashed the event, this time I am involved...! Could this mean... that the hatred itself and I... are related? Could this mean that hatred and indifference are almost the same?"_

"I see you still have doubts..." I flinched at Takato's distorted voice. "Give into the insanity... give into it as did I... I was weak before... but now I am strong... look what I could do... what I have done to another being just by giving into insanity..." As he spoke, Takatos gaze trailed over to Megidramon, who was by now trying to bite into Beelzemon. Beelzemon was struggling, tried to hold the jaws that threatened to tear him apart open.

**"Listen to him... Insanity is the true power... the indifference is meaningless... listen to me..."**, a distorted version of my own voice spoke inside my mind. **"Listen to him..."** _"Should I really?"_ **"Stop having doubts and let the insanity take over..."** _"Power... it sounds... good... But..._** "I TOLD YOU TO STOP HAVING DOUBTS! LET ME TAKE OVER! GIVE ME MY BODY BACK!" **

Suddenly, I realized who spoke to me. The same moment I did, I quickly pushed him back into the deepest part of my mind and turned to Takato. "Oh no, I won't.", I hissed, before I pushed Takato aside, ran past him towards the large dragon of hatred. _"Shit. I have done something wrong again and now I have to pay for it. Gotta rescue that freak before he ends up as Megidramon's appetizer..."_

Before I reached them, Megidramon's eyes trailed over to me. It was now that I could see that Beelzemon was about to lose, acid saliva burning into his arms and shoulders. _"Oh damn, gotta hurry u..."_ I never got to finish that thought, as the ground suddenly started shaking. I almost fell into a fissure in the ground, which suddenly opened up, but with a last jump, I managed to land on an island with the humans and their partners. A quick glance around showed me that the whole area was breaking apart into small islands.

"Oh no! Look at Megidramon, I think he is responsible for this! I should have realized this before... That's a hazard sign on his chest! He can destroy the whole digital world!", exclaimed that blue-haired guy... I think he is the genius of the group. Looks like he knows a lot... so I better ask him.

"Hazard sign? What does that mean?", I asked him. At first, he flinched, took a step away from me... but then he regained his stance and nodded. "I don't know much about it, but since Dad helped creating Digimon... he said a higital hazard is an event that can destroy the whole digital world and do a lot of damage to the human world... like Takato said, a digital hazard is indeed a armageddon of some sorts, a complete meltdown of everything...", explained the guy.

I let my eyes trail over the non-human beings. _"So they are digimon..." _"But how is a digital hazard related to that sign?", I asked, my eyes trailing back to the bluehaired guy. "Let me explain that.", spoke a voice, followed by the sounds of steps right behind me. Turning around, I found Takato, who was grinning at me madly.

"I created that sign... I created it subconciously, the embodiment of the digital hazard... Guilmon is merely its vessel...", chuckled Takato, walking towards me. "So... are you saying that the sign is the embodiment?", I asked, narrowing my eyes at him. "Hm.. yes and no. It is the embodiment as a symbol... but the true embodiment of the digital hazard, of the hatred that can destroy it all... is Megidramon.", chuckled Takato.

All the time, I had overseen a very important fact. One of the four auras around me had grown, had turned into anger. Even more anger. Just what we needed... Since no one had paid attention, no one was prepared for what happened. **SLAP!**

Everyone had taken a step back, looked at the scene before them in confusion and utter surprise. Takato, now on his knees, had a hand on his stomach, which hurt like hell. In between me and him stood the redhead, her fist still clenched. "Rika! What the hell?", shouted that visor boy. "He's right, fighting against each other is the last thing we...", the bluehaired guy shut up as I lifted my hand and blocked his way as he tried to approach Takato and... I think her name was Rika.

It remained like this for a few seconds, Takato panting and growling in pain, his gaze lowered to the ground. And then, suddenly, the redhead extended a hand to him, offered him to help him up. He looked up, rose his gaze until it was locked with Rikas. "Finally back to normal, goggles?", asked the redhead with a slight, unsure chuckle. He didn't answer, continued to pant... but nodded, before he took her hand and let her pull him up.

"Now that you are back to normal... we have to stop that dragon of yours.", spoke Rika, looking over to Megidramon, who was still trying to tear Beelzemon apart. "What... happened?", muttered Takato as he looked around. "Something got to your head, goggles.", sighed Rika, observing the damage done. Suddenly, the earth shook again, causing some of the humans to fall to the ground, while I turned to the gigantic dragon of hatred.

His hazard sign had now altered in glowing. Now, the middle one was permanently glowing, while the outer ones had begun to glow in a circular pattern; first the upper one, then the right, then the left, and then the upper one again, and that in a steady, fast rythm.

"Oh great, now he is out of control!", exclaimed that green cyborg-thingie. "Rika. How shall we defeat him? I don't think that we can. He has gained too much power, even Beelzemon, who is on his level, can barely hold his own against him.", spoke the yellow fox as she approached the redhead. "Goggles... can you still control him?", asked Rika, not taking her eyes off Megidramon. "If that is Guilmon... I don't think so... I don't feel him anymore...", whispered Takato, looked down to that white and red device from before... the screen was now static. And then, the device burst apart into dust.

"...we lost him...", whispered Takato. "Lost him because of my anger... my hatred...", he sighed. And I growled. "Nothing is lost until the end... listen up, Takato... No regrets at the end. You've got me? NONE.", spoke as I slowly stepped forwards. But my steps turned into walking, my walking into running, and before I knew, I was jumped over fissures towards the raging dragon and the lord of gluttony.

Beelzemon had managed to push the giant dragons muzzle away, but received a hit from the tail. "We have to stop him fast or we might experience the end of this world up close.", spoke a voice next to me. It was the voice of the yellow fox, which had catched up to me and was now running aside me.

"I'm just happy that Rika actually managted to get Takato back... But now, Guilmon is running amok, completely out of control..." Looking over to the other side, I found that green cyborg digimon flying next to me. "Go, Rapidmon!", shouted that bluehaired guy, apparently refering to the cyborg, as it nodded. "Alright, here we go!", exclaimed Rapidmon, picking up speed.

_Music: Digimon - Here we go!_

Megidramon grabbed Beelzemon and threw it away, right into a rock formation nearby. A last cry of pain was the last I heard of that biker, as the rock collapsed onto him, burried him beneath. Then, Megidramon turned to us and leaned down, opened his jaws as wide as it could. Red light began to gather inside his throat, first a sparkle, but grew faster and faster. Realizing what he was about to do, namely breathing fire, I jumped into the air, aiming at his muzzle... I guess attacking his eyes sounds good, so I need to be on his head... this was the perfect moment.

Rapidmon and Kyubimon evaded too, the green cyborg flew to the left and rose higher into the crimson heaven, while Kyubimon rushed into the other direction with a sudden turn. **"MEGIDDO FLAME!"**, announced the giant dragon with a distorted version of his former voice.

As the torrent of flames was unleashed, no one was in its way anymore. I landed on top of Megidramons muzzle, the moment that my feet touched it, I immediately jumped again, only to land once more, but this time, I ran. But a suddenly nearing claw prevented me from attacking, instead, I was forced to jump onto it.

Rapidmon took over as Megidramon rose to his full height. He flew in circles around the giganitc creature of hatred, shot rockets at it... but Megidramon seemed unimpressed, continued his tries to swat the green cyborg digimon out of the air.

Meanwhile, I ran up Megidramons claw and arm until I reached his shoulder. Just as I reached it and was about to jump onto his wings and from there onto his head, the yellow fox dashed past me all of sudden, running up Megidramons spine.

"Kyubimon! You need to digivolve!", shouted Rika from where she stood with the other humans and the weaker digimon, to which the fox nodded. Rika pulled a blue card from what appeared to be midair, swung it around in her hand, then slashed it through a device similiar to Takatos, only that the red was replaced by blue.

**"Digimodify! Matrix digivolution activate!"**

_**Kyubimon digivolve to... TAOMON!**_

The yellow fox had changed into something more humanic, someone wearing a taoist robe and a fox mask, yet that new appearance had still yellow paws sticking out of the sleeves and the pants. It had changed, just like that "Guilmon" had changed into "Megidramon"...

_"I wish I could change that easily to become stronger... to become someone else..."_

Taomon extended one of his sleeves, a paintbrush longer than the sleeve itself appearing from it. With a movement too quick for even my eyes, Taomon flew in front of Megidramon and drew a black kanji in midair, which then hit Megidramon into the chest.

The large dragon growled shortly, then swung a claw at Taomon, which moved out of the way with the same speed it had appeared before Megidramon. "I don't think we are doing much damage to him, if we even do damage at all... not on this level, at least... and we can't go Mega.", growled Rapidmon. "Unfortunately.", added Taomon, evading another strike of Megidramon.

Meanwhile, I had reached the top of Megidramons head. He seemed to notice that as well, as a claw tried to hit me, but I jumped over it. In midair, I reached back, clenched my fist... and as I landed, I struck my fist onto Megidramons head. And smashed him completely into the ground.

_Music stop_

* * *

><p>"Woah! What power! Neither Beelzemon, nor Rapidmon and Taomon could do any serious damage to Guilmon... and he just smashed him into the ground!", shouted Kazu, holding onto his visor as the wind picked up due to Megidramon being smashed into the ground. "What is he? He cannot be human...! And I don't think he is a digimon! Just who and what is that guy?", added Kenta.<p>

"Stop... hurting Guilmon...", muttered Takato, clenching his fists. Rika and Henry, later one moving a hand through his blue hair, turned to look at their friend with the goggles... and flinched when Takato was once more in "Hatred Mode", his eyes glowing crimson.

* * *

><p>Suddenly, Megidramons head shot upwards, a claw throwing me into the ground near him. A quick glance towards Takato showed me why Megidramon had regained strength: Takato's insanity had the upper hand again... probably my fault... I unleashed it, after all...<p>

All of sudden, I heard Rapidmon cry out in pain, and when I turned around, I managed to see how he smashed into the ground a good distance away from me, apparently hit by Megidramons now more precise swings... It seems he is connected to Takato... or at least Takato's insanity, since he gains strength when Takato loses control... Megidramon, a product of Takatos hatred... powered by Takatos hatred... once Takato does not hate, Megidramon cannot control himself... has no mind on his own... Takato is controlling him...

The question was... is it better to knock Megidramon out first, then Takato... or the other way around? ...knocking out Takato first would result in Megidramon running amok again... knocking Megidramon out first could lead to unknown consequences... if it was even possible to knock Megidramon out first, seeing how much strength he had just gained.

So there was only one way: Try to knock out Megidramon first. Turning my head around, I saw how Taomon was still occupied with evading Megidramons attacks and throwing those black kanji at him... only that Megidramon wasn't even flinching this time.

With a sigh, I looked back at Takato, who was glaring at us... and especially me. Feeling uncomfortable with his glare, I turned towards Megidramon, pushed myself off the ground, and prepared mentally to fight the collosus.

* * *

><p>Kazu shared a glance with Kenta, both nodded and looked at Takato... then they both charged at their friend. "This time, we gonna get you back, Chumley! We owe you that!", shouted Kazu, reaching back. And at the same time, he and Kenta moved their fists forwards. Takato shortly took his eyes off Megidramon, glanced at Kazu and Kenta... and as he rose his hand, the two were hit by a red shockwave and flew through the air.<p>

"What the...?", gasped Rika as the two flew past her. She turned her gaze to her left... and immediately realized that Takato was responsible for this. And she realized... that she would lose him if she did not make one critical move... one that could very well mean the end for her, guessing from what powers Takato had gained...

* * *

><p><em>Music: Digimon Savers - Burst Mode<em>

I jumped over Megidramons tail, turned in midair and managed to avoid Megidramons claw thanks to Rapidmon, who picked me up in midair and threw me onto Megidramons right wing. From there, I could see the group of human... and found myself stare in awe as I saw what was going on.

There was Takato, fighting in hand-to-hand combat with... Rika? I couldn't believe my eyes as I saw the two human fight with incredible skill, Rika ducking beneath Takatos kick, followed by one of her own, which hit him in the face, but he just fell back and attacked Rika with a punch, which she blocked. This wasn't normal at all... something was happening, something beyond the mere reality... destiny had its hands in this. Of that, I was sure.

A sudden movement of Megidramon made me realize that I was still standing on his wing. Turning back to him, I nodded towards Taomon, then jumped off the wing, ready to fight the giant creature of hatred which had once been an innocent digimon.

* * *

><p>Rika ducked beneath Takatos punch, but wasn't prepared when he pulled her leg away. She hissed as she landed on the ground with her back, pain shooting through her body. She closed her eyes and arched her back in pain, and as she reopened them, Takato was above her on all fours, grinning at her in an evil way.<p>

"All your attempts to free Takato of my grasp are for nothing... you never stood a chance to begin with... neither you... nor Takato...", whispered Takato's insanity into Rikas ear as he leaned past her vision, pinned her beneath her. "I cannot understand what he sees in you. Why he chooses to trust you, ice queen... your heart is as cold as ice... the cold of loneliness... but you know what? That is where you and Takato are very similiar... Yes..."

Rika struggled against his grip, but this was no longer Takato, no longer a human... his strength exceeded humanity by now, he pinned her without using all too much effort... That was what Rika hated. Being weak. Too weak to do something...

"Your heart of ice... contains the cold of loneliness... of betrayal... of pain... And Takato's heart burns with the fire of hatred... of eternal rage... of betrayal...", whispered Takato's insanity, a desirous grin spreading across her face. "You could join me... we could end this, reign as we want... only me, the king of hatred... and the queen of loneliness at my side..." Rika increased her struggle against the overmighty foe that had once been a person she trusted... she didn't want this to end like he wanted. Never!

"I know your desire for me... know how much you long to be at Takato's side... I can feel the desire within you, the desire to end the loneliness... Takato is the one you trust. He is the one who brought you out of your isolation... the one who offered you to be always there... isn't that what you desire? The end of loneliness? The end of only one last emotion that you feel? Don't you want to be with me... the king of ha..." "NO!" "Wha...?"

Rika suddenly managed to free her right leg, pulled it upwards and placed it against Takato's stomach. With a powerful kick, she threw him off her, causing him to land on his back aside her. She turned around, so that she was on all fours, panted... and glared at Takato.

* * *

><p>I screamed in pain as Megidramon hit me with his claw in midair and pushed me into the ground. I screamed as he increased his pressure on me, pinned me beneath his gigantic claw. I screamed as Rapidmon tried to come to my rescue, but was thrown into a nearby rock by Megidramons free claw.<p>

**"MEGIDDO FLAME!"** I forced one of my eyes open, ignored the pain that the pressure caused. Megidramon had his jaws wide open, aimed at me. Fire began to gather in his throat. I hissed as I saw this... I knew that this could very well be my end. The only emotion I didn't overcome yet was the only thing remaining to kill me.

The surroundings became oblivious to me, I was deaf, my sight blurry. The only thing I could hear was my own heartbeat as Megidramon eventually had his fire fully charged... and then suddenly, his head was knocked away, the torrent of flames unleashed into the heaven instead of at me. The pressure vanished... my eyes focused for a second, and I managed to make Beelzemon out above me. He was saying... no... shouting something at me... but I couldn't understand a thing.

As I rose my right hand, which felt numb... all I managed to make out was that my body was glowing a deep crimson... the last emotion... was beyond me.

Before I realized, I had moved, stood before the fallen colossus, had him grabbed by a horn, which was above each eye, hit him with my fist, send him flying once more. Beelzemon stood next to me, said something... but I just fell onto my knees and panted... the heartbeat in my ears becoming louder and louder...

* * *

><p>Rika spat onto the ground aside her, then, on all fours, crawled over to the fallen Takato, which glared back at her. "It may be true that I trust Takato... that I trust him like no one else, as he freed me of my loneliness... he made me realize how important it was to have friends... how important Renamon was to me... not just a bunch of data I let fight for me... not a bunch of data that fights to grow stronger..."<p>

Rika crawled over Takatos fallen body, ignored his glares as she sat onto his chest. She glared with all intensity she had, with all the fury that was locked within her. Then, she reached back... and punched him into the face. But not once. Not twice. Over and over again, she punched him, made him growl in pain.

"Takato has shown me that there is more than just one emotion. Has shown me that emotions are nothing to be left behind. Emotions make us who we are... Takato, that lucky bastard... has more than enough of them. He was always cheery! Always nice to someone, even if that person just said straight into his face that she hated him and his guts... that accusated him of the strangest things! HE IS NOT WHAT YOU ARE! HE IS NO MONSTER LIKE YOU ARE!", screamed Rika, hit the boy beneath her once more.

Suddenly, he pushed her off. She stumbled, but managed to remain on her feet. Takato stumbled to his feet as well, the rage still burning within his eyes. Then, he spat blood onto the ground aside him. "And yet I am him... Yet he is I...", hissed Takato's insanity, panting. "That... is true... sadly... I won't...deny that.", chuckled Rika, panting as well. "It is true that you are... Takato as well as he... is you... I shouldn't even be surprised that Takato... has this madness locked within himself... a boy who always tries to be nice to everyone... must have such a large dark side... the shadow within... is just as large as the light...", sighed Rika, raising her fists.

"You speak wise words for a mere human...", hissed Takato's insanity. "Thanks.", chuckled Rika. "I offer you... one last time: Join me. Become my queen.", growled Takato's insanity as he rose his fists as well. And Rika began to laugh. "Maybe...", she chuckled, causing those who watched the fight, the remaining Tamers and their digimon, to gasp. "Maybe...", repeated Rika, her laughter dying down.

"Maybe... in another life!" With that, she charged forwards, raised her fists and punched Takato into the chest before he even realized what was going on.

* * *

><p>I stumbled towards the collossus, which had rosen again, his eyes of hatred glaring at me. "Who has the greater insanity... Megidramon? Me or... you?", I whispered, extending my right arm to the side. Suddenly, it burst apart, a crystal scythe revealed underneath. At the same time, my back burst apart, two crystal wings extending from it. All the time, I screamed in pain, but did not cease to glare at the giant of hatred.<p>

"Finally... the last emotion lies beyond me... the stone-cold heart of leaving behind... is fully charged... the indifference can take place... so open up your arms... and welcome the end... the nihilism.", I whispered. My eyes trailed over to the heart made of stone that lay on the ground near me... right there where Megidramon had pinned me. As he did, the heart had fallen out of my bag... had absorbed the hatred that was needed to end it. To cause the indifference.

My eyes trailed back to the giant dragon, who glared at me with the same ferocity I glared at him. "Let's end this, Megidramon. Let us see who has the greater insanity... which emotion is truly the end... the hatred... or the indifference..."

I chuckled as he extended his wings and let out a loud cry. His body began to glow crimson from within, his power and aura rising. At the same time, I myself began to glow green from within. This was the duel of emotions, the fight between indifference and hatred... finished in one quick strike. He gathered all the hatred he could earn from all around... while I gathered negative energy from the surroundings.

And then, at the same time, our energy reached the limit. As his powers of hatred reached their limit, the dark world around us became a crimson day, he the sun of it, the source of light. But as my power reached its limit, the crimson day got a second sun. The crimson day turned into a green day, but it changed with every second which sun had more power.

But with my powers reaching their highest point, the world around me was also affected. The crystal wings on my back had shattered, replaced by two bright green wings of nothing more than negative energy. The stone-cold heart of leaving behind offered me a preview at what powers I could have, as was the negative energy never to my command before.

The scythe shattered next, leaving back only my hand, glowing green from within. The new power of myself overloaded itself, the negative energy exploded, was radiated by me. Gravity itself was negated around me, debris began to fly upwards.

"Ready, dragon of the end? Dragon of hatred?", I exclaimed. As answer, I received a loud scream of Megidramon.

* * *

><p>Takato glared at Rika, who was standing a short distance away from him, her fists raised. Both of them were panting, stared each other down... but never even dared to blink. They knew that the one that would blink would lose. It was unavoidable that one of them had to lose.<p>

"Do you really want to... defeat me... Rika Nonaka?", chuckled Takato's insanity, blinking at the same time that Rika did. "I am... willing to risk everything to... stop you and return... Takato...!", hissed Rika, raising her body to a fighting stance once more. Her last fighting stance. She knew that she wouldn't be able to fight anylonger... this was it. The finale.

"Then face me. One. Last. Time!" (2), shouted Takato, before he and Rika rushed at each other again, ignoring the gigantic explosion of crimson and green, the crimson and the green that flooded the dark area as two emotions hit each other with all their strength. Rika hissed as Takato's fist hit her into the stomach, but she grabbed his arm and swung him over her shoulder.

He hissed in pain as he met the ground, but immediately rolled away and stumbled to his feet, shaking slightly. Rika was shaking as well, but they both ignored their pain as they charged at each other again. This time, they hit each other in the face... and remained to stand there, their fists extended.

"Goggles... I know you are... still in there...", hissed Rika, struggling to remain standing. "He is... gone...", hissed Takato's insanity back. "No he is... not!", growled Rika, using the last strength she had to push Takato back. "What?", he gasped as he stumbled backwards... and then, Rikas fist hit him into the face again. And then, silence.

Rika just stood there, her fist still against Takato's face. She was panting, shaking... and then, her legs gave in. She fell forwards... and even before she hit the ground, her conciousness began to slip away, her sight becoming nothing more than black.

But she never hit the ground... two strong arms catched her. While she couldn't see who had catched her... she knew it as she was put onto the ground softly. "Thank you...Rika.", whispered a familiar voice, causing Rika to chuckle. "You stupid... gogglehead...", she chuckled... before her conciousness faded completely.

* * *

><p>Takato looked up from the unconciousness redhead, turned his gaze to look at his friends. Kazu and Kenta looked at him in both shock and awe, Henry was looking just as amazed. Guardromon, the brown robot digimon of Kazu, was just as silent as ever, Suzie held her partner Lopmon in her arms, and both had their mouths wide open. And Jeri... she was looking at him with something between shock, worry and anger. Anger for what he had become... and he couldn't even be mad at her for that.<p>

With a sigh, Takato stood up from his kneeling position over Rika. Once he was on his legs, he turned to look at the battle that had happened near him. Megidramon was lying on his back, groaning and shaking, but still alive... and out of control. Chôzen Gekido was on his knees, panting, shaking... kneeled over a heart made of stone. Rapidmon had become Terriermon again, lay on the ground out cold... and Taomon was also having problems holding its form.

Finally, Takato began to walk towards the combatants. Walked past the group of his friends... but stopped next to Henry. "This is it, my friend.", whispered Takato, looking at Megidramon as the giant rose again. "Only I can defeat him... I have created him."

Henry hesitated for a moment... but then nodded. "Yes. That is true.", replied Henry. "Please watch over the others... I don't know what will become of me... Megidramon... Guilmon... may not recognize me anymore. May try to... No! We should not waste thoughts on what MAY happen. Just... please promise me, Henry... watch over the others while I am gone. Should I manage to get Guilmon back... I will still have to defeat Beelzemon... I have no longer a D-Arc... my link to Guilmon was severed... but I still can try to reach him..."

At first, Henry hesitated once more... but nodded again. "Yeah. Good luck... Takato. I'll wish you luck.", muttered Henry. Takato glanced at him... chuckled... then extended a hand to him. "Just we two. Like in the old times, my friend.", chuckled Takato. "Gotcha.", exclaimed Henry as he took Takatos hand and shook it.

* * *

><p>Megidramon glared a last time at the fallen being of indifference, which was now on his knees over a heart of stone, then turned to the last threat. Taomon. The clash with the indifference had weakened him a lot, had almost killed him... and yet, he followed his only instinct: Kill.<p>

He reached back, mindless as he was on his own, and swung his claw at the fox digimon. Taomon managed to evade the first claw... the second... but was too weak to evade as the third neared. The claw struck her, threw her into the ground... where she finally lost her form, unable to hold her matrix form any longer.

She forced her eyes open, found the giant dragon above her, the only thing she could read in his eyes the desire to kill... and knew that it was over. Knew that she could no longer protect her partner, Rika... knew that she had given her life to do so... She knew that...

**"Re...namon..."** She flinched, turned her eyes to the giant above her. "Gu...Guilmon?", she asked. **"Re...na..."** She gasped as the dragon growled her name, apparently remembering. "Guilmon! Can you hear me?", she shouted, hoped to reach the dragon within the collossus of hatred.

**"Renamon!"**, roared the dragon, then suddenly threw his head back. He rose his claws to his head, held it as he began to throw his head around. It impacted with one of the rock pillars, broke it. And Renamon could only watch, too weak to move... and suddenly, someone stepped aside her.

"Guilmon.", spoke Takato as he looked up to the giant. "GUILMON!", he repeated, louder. The gigantic dragon flinched, stopped throwing his head around... one of his eyes fixed on Takato. "Takato...mon...", he growled, slowly removing his claws from his head.

* * *

><p>I found myself sitting above the stone-cold heart of leaving behind, staring at it as it restored my powers. My vision fixed, the blurriness gone. It took me a second more until I was no longer deaf... but the feeling of deafness was still inside. Numbness... my body back, my soul not...<p>

...and that was when I finally heard him. **"THROW MY DAMN WEAPON TO ME!"**

I rose my gaze, forced away the numbness... and found Beelzemon lying on the ground right before Megidramon, holding his right shoulder as he extended the arm to me. And looking to the ground aside me, I found one of his twin shotguns, the other one aside him. Looking above him, I found Megidramon being still there, staring at something... And I pushed myself up, kicked the shotgun with all my might... and Beelzemon catched it.

Immediately, he turned around, grabbed the second shotgun, and pointed them at Megidramons chest. **"DOUBLE IMPACT!"**, screamed Beelzemon, pulled the trigger of his shotguns rapidly... and the bullets impacted with Megidramons chest plate. And broke it.

What happened next amazed me. Megidramon screamed out in pain, began to shake again, began to stagger... Beelzemon, despite how hurten he was, called forth a motorcycle, and as it rushed past him, he held onto it. Megidramon suddenly fell over, fell forwards... right towards Takato, who extended his arms to the sides, as if to embrace the giant dragon. The yellow fox, which lay on the ground aside him, began to crawl away, shouted at Takato to run... but Takato remained where he was... until Megidramon landed on top of him, Megidramons chest burying him underneath... followed by a radiant light, which was so bright that it covered everything and forced me to close my eyes.

_Music stops_

* * *

><p>As I opened my eyes again, I stood in a large plain of white... of nothing. I was nowhere... as was Takato... and a red dinosaur of about his height. "Chôzen Gekido...", sighed Takato as he approached me... and extended his hand. "Thank you."<p>

I looked at his hand, surprised and confused. "Thank me for what?", I asked, raising an eyebrow. "For everything. It may sound stupid but... thank you for unsealing my insanity... my hatred. It was the best that could happen to me... really. I don't know what could've happened if my insanity managed to break free on its own later... but thanks to you, and Rika... I could defeat it now, once and for all...", smiled Takato.

Still in doubt, I took his hand and shook it. "I owe you and Rika everything... but..." I frowned at the 'but'. "...but from now on... this is my fight. You have helped me enough already... a greater destiny is awaiting you, keeper of indifference. What is now ahead is my way, the way of hatred... I am the keeper of hatred just as much as you are the keeper of indifference. Our ways have to part here. They had to meet here.. and they have to end here.", finished Takato.

"I see...", I whispered. "You know what awaits you next, right? You have finished the path of nihilism... the end of your path was the beginning of mine. All that remains for you to do... is to become the perfect indifference. Head back to the ruins of nihilism. Head back and unleash your true purpose.", smiled Takato. "I wish you the best of luck on your way.", he added... and I began to smile. "Thanks. Same goes for you. Watch out. Don't let the insanity get the upper hand again.", I replied, and Takato laughed.

"Yeah. Sure.", he chuckled. "Is this the end then? The last time we meet?", I asked... but Takato shook his head. "I don't think so. I believe we will eventually meet again. It may be your purpose to end it all, if what you said is true... but remember: Hatred is that which eventually will unleash the end.", chuckled Takato... and I chuckled as well. "I see.", I replied, and he nodded.

I let go of his hand, took a step back... and looked at him and his partner. "Well then... until we meet again. Let us hope that it won't be the end.", I chuckled. Takato and his partner nodded. "Until then.", replied Takato, took a step back as well... and then, the white faded.

As it was completely gone, I found myself back on the ground of the plane, still destroyed as it was. But where Megidramon was, was no longer a dragon... instead, a knight in white and crimson armor stood there, staring at Beelzemon. And as I saw the knight, I could only chuckle as the last part of the path of nihilism echoed through my head.

_...a girl with red hair unseals the knight._

_Music: Digimon Tamers - One Vision _

The knight before me... he was Takato. He was Takato. And Guilmon. The two had become one. Had become one to stand against Beelzemon.

"Amazing! He must be Guilmon's true mega form!", exclaimed the bluehaired guy from before. But I knew that he was wrong. Megidramon was Guilmon's true mega form... this, the knight before me, was merely a 'what if'... what if Guilmon and Takato pretend to be who they are not, pretend to be holy... within both of them rests the hatred. An emotion a knight should not possess if he was truly as holy as this knight.

At the same time, Rika forced her eyes open... she spotted the knight before her... and a soft smile appeared on her lips. "You did it... you stupid gogglehead...", she whispered, before everything went black again.

"Huh? What's going on here?", exclaimed Beelzemon as he went into a fighting stance, looking confused at the knight. "Beelzemon. You rejected everything offered to you. In return, you betrayed them and destroyed a valiant soul. I cannot forgive what you have done.", spoke the knight with a dual voice, the voices of Takato and his partner at the same time.

"You can't forgive me? I don't recall ever having asked you to forgive me!", shouted Beelzemon in return, anger flashing across his face. "We talk about forgiveness when I WIPE YOU OUT OF EXISTENCE!", screamed the biker digimon as he charged forwards, his claws raised... I cannot believe I actually wanted to help him. I cannot believe I did help him.

In return, the knight just rose his lance, then pointed it at Beelzemon. "So be it!", he shouted, before the two digimon, the knight and the biker, charged at each other.

"Gallantmon. Exalted Knight Digimon. His lightning joust and shield of justice are unstoppable.", read the bluehaired guy from his device, looking the same as Takatos or Rikas... only with green instead of red or blue.

I rose to my feet, stared at the fight between the knight and the biker... and though I felt the urge to just jump in and help Takato... I turned my back to the fight, bowed down, and picked up the stone-cold heart of leaving behind. "No... this is his fight. I shall not interfere... this is the path of hatred, not that of nihilism. He has to make his own way, write his own story, shape his own future... but good luck, Takato.", I chuckled, glanced a last time over my shoulder... and just for a second, I had the feeling that the knight and I locked eyes.

But then, we turned away at the same time... and went our paths. They were not destined to run along each other. But maybe... they would cross again. And then, I show Takato what I have become. I show him that I have been sucessful with finishing the path of nihilism. Just for him... I'll become the chosen one, the nihilist that is supposed to end it all...

_Music end_

* * *

><p><em>2077 years ago, Outside world - Unknown Area (Ruins of sleeping armageddon [tomb of negativity])<em>

Darkness. The corridor lay in darkness. But only for a few more seconds. Rumbling became audible. Stones being rolled aside. Eventually, light suddenly came in through a hole in the ceiling, illuminated what had been deepest darkness before. Seconds later, someone landed in the corridor.

I looked up from my kneeled position, looked down the corridor. Then, I rose to full height. The corridor I was in was made of stone, strange signs of forgotten ages on both sides on the walls, down all the corridor. I was unable to read them and I doubt there is anyone who still can.

But that is not of importance. What is really important is at the end of this corridor. Long corridor. Last time I was here to retrieve the stone-cold heart of leaving behind, it took me almost two hours to reach the end. ...this time, it would surely take even longer. I mean... I finally, I have this path behind me. Three centuries. It took me three centuries to finish it. And here I am, all excited, walking down a dark corridor that is only illuminated by my green-glowing eyes. I can't freaking wait to finally reach the end and leave all this stuff behind, my weakness, my doubts... all would become nothing! Finally!

...but after merely fifteen minutes of walking, I noticed that something was not the same it was last time. The first hint was a torch... a lit torch on the wall. A torch that had just been lit. Someone or something had been here before me... just a few minutes ago, as it seems. The torch had barely burned down.

Immediately, my senses sharpened, ready to pick up anything aside the normal. My senses went fully alert... something they had never done before. Inside my bag, I felt the stone-cold heart of leaving behind move, shake... I guess it is once again giving me a sneek-peek of my new powers... the powers that would soon be to my command...

I just noticed it now, but... the closer I get to the shrine in which the heart originally rested, the more it begins to shake... to grow hot... to shiver in anticipation... is it apparently just as excited as me... as stupid as that may sound, a heart of stone being excited... But I really get the impression...

* * *

><p>However, I soon was alerted once again. My now sharpened senses picked up a noise from above me, a sudden movement in the air above me. But as I turned to it, there was nothing. The noise had vanished, the corridor still empty.<p>

I shook my head, growled... then placed my hands on my temples and started to rub them. _"I'm getting mad... geez, I really need to finally put the heart back... this new power is too much to handle for me at the moment... unless I finally get a hold of the nihilism, I cannot control it... Cannot distinguish between natural and unnatural changes in my surroundings..."_

Another proof for this was my taste. At the moment, I actually managed to taste air... sounds weird I know. The air around here tastes... cold... a little like ash... old... I rather don't think of it and blend it out. Otherwise, I really will go mad.

I shivered as I suddenly felt a cold breeze. I froze up, turned my head into the direction... but found that the wall merely had a small hole in it... weird, last time, I didn't notice... oh man, this whole new sharper senses thing freaks me out! ...I really need to go and put that heart back!

Turning back to the direction the corridor was going in, I sighed, blinked once and... as I opened my eyes and spotted the end of the corridor (finally!) I was immediately freaked out again, this time, by something or someone standing before the door, dressed in white.

But as soon as I blinked, that someone or something was gone. Had vanished. Like he or it was never there. I blinked a few more times, as well of because of being confused and the idea of trying to see if the thing comes back. But it didn't.

And because it didn't, I put it aside as a halucination caused by the sharper senses and continued my way.

* * *

><p>As soon as the corridor lay behind me, I carefully turned around, this time, ready for what was before me. Last time, when I saw them unprepared, I literally freaked out, didn't dare to blink... This time, I slowly turned around and looked at the first one.<p>

"Uhm... hello there.", I chuckled. To assure me they did not react at all. The stone angels at both sides of me. Three on each side, meaning there are six in total... and that one at the end of the small hall, standing before the door, which means that they are seven. Carved into the socket of the seventh one were the words "weeping angel" (3). What it means, I don't know. But apparently, it refers to the stone angels around me.

I shivered, felt another cold breeze... and a chill ran down my spine. I think I better ignore them and leave this small hall behind. Quickly, I rushed through the room, not looking at them once. Eventually, I stood before the door behind the seventh stone angel... and found myself in shock when I reached out to the door... as it vanished inside the wall, swallowed by it.

**"Give me your heart... give me the sacrifice... the heart of leaving behind..." **I froze up as I heard the scary whisper and the noise of stone rubbing on stone. Slowly turning around, I silently wished that my worst fears had not become reality... but the scream stuck in my throat as they were real.

Before me was the same room I had just gone through... only were all of the stone angels now staring directly at me, their heads turned into my direction... what really freaked me out was the seventh angel right in front of me, because as I looked up to his head, I found that it had turned around 180° degree just to stare at me. Also, his mouth had changed its position... so I guess he was the one who spoke to me.

Carefully, I walked around him, closed my eyes to not look at any of them... but I still heard the sounds of them turning their heads. When I believed that I stood before the seventh angel, I opened my eyes and glanced up at him. He was still staring at me.

I put my bag down before me, opened it, surprised by a bright green light being in it. The stone heart was glowing from within... something it had never done before. Slowly, I let my hands touch the hot surface of it, then pulled it out carefully.

All the time, the angels were watching me, but now, their gaze rested on the stone-cold heart of leaving behind. Just as careful as I had pulled it out, I let the heart down into the hands of the seventh angel. He looked at it, began to absorb its glow... and then, he turned to look beyond me.

**"The sacrifice has been accepted. Take the heart back... it belongs to you... Chosen One."** Slowly, I took the heart out of his hands... it still glowed as it did before. I continued to hold it in my hands, something inside me told me that there was no need to put it back.

Suddenly, the whole room began to shake. I didn't even need to ask why, as the wall behind the angel, the wall the door had vanished in, suddenly began to part into two, one part of it vanishing inside the ground, the other in the ceiling. It took the parts a few seconds, but as soon as they had vanished, the rumbling and shaking stopped. With the walls out of the way, I found a room I had been in once already, last time, through the door that had vanished. This was the room I had taken the heart from. The shrine.

It was a gigantic room, so gigantic that I didn't manage to see the ceiling or the walls to my left and right, despite my increased sight and my glowing eyes. On the far side of the room was a small shrine made of stone with a podestal that the stone heart belonged into. Above the podestal was a large sculpture of what appeared to be the upper body of a human skeleton, including the ribcage and the skull.

Its hands were in shackles above his back, the shackles on the right side made of some black material that I found looked a lost like darkness. Weird, though, as darkness cannot be a solid matter. The left hand was in green shackles... I don't know what that material is... other than... maybe negative energy? Negative energy having taken solid form? ...could this mean the right hand was indeed in darkness, darkness that had taken solid form just as much as negative energy could?

And what about the shackle on the skeletons back? Yeah, at the back of his ribcage, attached to the middle of it at the spine, was a third shackle, this one made of seven chain links, each in a different color, a word carved into each one. Superbia, Envidia, Ira, Acedia, Avaricia, Gula and Luxuria. The seven deadly sins. (4)

I shivered as I looked at the gigantic skeleton. Something about me made me fell not alright. As if it was connected to my own future... I shivered again and let my gaze trail down to the shrine again. In the ground between me and the shrine were several trenches... not deep, barely deep enough for me to put my foot it.

I set my foot beyond the first trench, my goal the shrine. Nothing different was in my mind, other than the shrine. My future was set in stone. The shrine. Placing the heart. Becoming the indifference. Nothing was in my way anymore, nothing could anymore come in my way.

With a big smirk of utter satisfaction, my mind set on the past events I had finally left behind me, three centuries of hard trials to get past every emotion and capture it within the heart of leaving behind, I went towards the shrine. In my head I went through them all. As I had let the stone plate behind on which the path of nihilism was written, the first event went through my head.

_Music: Requiem for a dream_

_"__**Joy..." **_I took the first step. _**"Sadness..." **_The second step._** "Trust..." **_The third step. _**"Disgust..." **_A fourth step. _**"Fear..." **_My right foot set down onto the fifth step. _**"Anger..." **_The sixth._** "Surprise..." **_A seventh_. __**"Anticipation..." **_(5) The eight step was beneath my feet. _**"Guilt..." **_The ninth step. _**"Despair..." **_The tenth_**! "Pain..." **_Eleven! _**"The cycle of life!" **_Twelve! _**"Hatred...!" **_My feet touched the last step, the thirteeth one. I chuckled as I looked down to my feet, knowing that one thing was still left, something the path couldn't break. _**"Love."**_ The fourteeth emotion. _**"Also... the seven deadly sins."**_ Was this why the skeleton above my head was shackled by the seven deadly sins?

Slowly, as if they were moved by some invisible force, my hands moved the heart above the podestal it was originally in. Carefully, as if it was my own heart, I put it down onto the podestal, into the hole it was supposed to be in. And the moment I had so long awaited, the moment that the heart finally...

_Music stop_

A shockwave of green, negative energy, threw me across the room, away from the shrine. I landed painfully on my back in the middle of the room, but quickly forced myself into a roll backwards, which I ended on all fours. My head shot upwards, my gaze immediately resting on the stone-cold heart of leaving behind.

And I found myself in awe. The stone had large cracks... broke before my eyes... and revealed a real heart. A heart of a human... or so it appeared. It looked like a humanic heart... only green in color. But it was beating. Beating so loud that it echoed through the gigantic room... the room known as the grave of the sleeping armageddon, the grave of nihilism, tomb of negativity, grave of the end, sanctuary of the ruins of sleeping armageddon... this was it.

Slowly, I rose from the ground, careful. Slowly, I approached the podestal once more... took each step... and finally, stood before the beating heart, looked at it with amazement. Never had I dreamed that beneath the stone was a real heart! But what now? How would I infuse the perfect balance into m...

"Hm? What is this, someone following the path of nihilism?"

As I heard the emotionless voice behind me, I twirled around, but found myself still alone in the sanctuary. "A human...? No... something else..." Hearing the mysterious voice to my right, I twirled into that direction... But was still alone. To my right, he shrine was still continuing to absorb energy from the heart that I had gathered negative energy into. Your negativity... Your nihilism... It is just as strong as mine...No! Even stronger..."

The mysterious voice suddenly echoed from my left. Suddenly, the heart let out a pillar of green light, negative energy flowing into the sculpture above it. The mouth of the skeleton opened, and green water flew from its mouth, down into the trenches in the ground. And as the glowing water flew through the trenches, it illuminated the gigantic dark grave in an eerie green glow.

And that second, he landed before me in a kneeling position. "I believe you are no trash...", spoke the man, his skin paler than snow, as he stood up.

He wasn't exactly tall or muscular, even rather thin... I'd say about 1,69m... maybe 55 kg in weight. He had a perfect indifferent expression, had green eyes that were void of any emotions, and raven black hair. He wore a white robe with a single black line at the front, in addition to sandals, had a light-green katana strapped to his left side, and on the left side of his head, he had a bone-like helmet with what appeared to be a bat's ear made of bone. But the most interesting feature he had were two green lines, one underneath each eye, letting it appear as if he was crying green tears.

"Who are you?", I asked cautiously, taking a step back. "I feel a great power locked within you... it will be unleashed as you finish the path of nihilism... Just as mmine was unleashed.", spoke the strange man. It was then that I noticed the hole at the base of his neck.

"The path of nihilism does not give you satisfaction... Indifference is a curse, a torture, as you will never feel whole again... Not that it will matter to you anymore... I did not matter to me at all...", spoke the man as he rounded me carefully.

"You did not answer my question... who are you?", I asked, let my gaze trail to the trenches for a second. Almost all of them were fully filled. "My name should not matter to you... but fine. I am known as Ulquiorra Cifer.", replied the man as he stopped before me, then followed my gaze to the trenches.

"It is interesting. Back when I walked the path of nihilism... I had not to gather thirteen emotions... I merely had to fulfill one event. The event of leaving behind... I never was here before... I gained nihilism through merely one event: The pain had to be left behind... Before what I am now, I was a being with only eyes in its head... All I could was see... but not feel... I felt nothing... Through my body, which was covered in a armor part of it, I could not eat... not feel... not speak... not hear... But my soul longed to feel something...", the man slowly stepped down the thirteen steps as he spoke.

"The others of my species were different. They had mouths. Could feel. Could speak. Could do what I could not... so I left them. Walked alone. Forgotten. Walked my own way. All I could feel was the void within myself... Nothing that reflected in my eyes mattered to me... and one day, I found a white bush of thorns... it was just as me. It mattered to me. Was white. Without smell and voice, had no interaction to things around him and merely lived to exist...", the man reached the middle of the room, stood in front of a small circle in the ground.

"...I let myself fall into the bush of thorns, felt, for the first time happiness... and pain... that was my fulfillment... was my path of nihilism... since then, I am a nihilist... and though it may sound completely unrelated to your quest... it was the same path...", finished Ulquiorra.

All the time, I remained silent... and I remained silent as he turned to me. "You felt my presence before... Yes, it was me in the corridor...", spoke Ulquiorra, looked at me with his indifferent eyes. "You may wonder now why your path was so long and different from mine, right?", asked Ulquiorra, began to walk again, walked through the room, his hands in the pockets of his robe.

"Yours was different... from all other paths of nihilism. Because of one important thing... you are the chosen one. Every path of nihilism is different... but short. Only yours was long and exhausting, but it was mainly about leaving emotions behind... the path of nihilism for every other one who has walked it was about one thing. Yours was about several... only because you are the chosen one, the nihilist that is the end of everything..."

I followed Ulquiorra with my eyes as he walked through the room... which suddenly shook again. But neither Ulquiorra nor I went into panic... Instead, we turned to the small circle in the middle of the room, which suddenly vanished inside it... only to be replaced by a podestal, a mask on top of it. And the room stopped to shake as soon as the podestal was completely out of the ground.

"This is it. When you put on that mask, everything will be left behind...", spoke Ulquiorra, sighing. Then, he turned to me. "But before you put it on...", Ulquiorra stepped back towards me, but stopped at the lower end of the thirteen stairs.

"...fight me. See it as a final test... I wish to know who you are to be worthy of the true nihilism... of the true path of nihilism... the abilities it gives you, the past, present and future it takes... the purporse it lays onto you, the purpose of destroying it all at the end...", muttered Ulquiorra.

I looked at him, not sure if I should be surprised or... well, what should I be other than surprised? "Are you... honest?", I asked. "I am.", he replied. I blinked a few times... but then sighed. "Alright. You're right. It would be the best... you would know why I am worthy... and I can see why I am worthy!", I exclaimed, going into a battle stance. Ulquiorra nodded, but didn't move at all, did not take his hands out of his pockets... much to my surprise.

I guess he was waiting for me to attack... so I jumped off the ground, jumped over the thirteen steps, aiming at him with a punch... but as I hit him, he surprised me by just taking that blow... indeed, I was the one who felt hurt, my fist suddenly numb and throbbing in pain. Ulquiorra was not hurt at all.

_Music: High and Mighty color - Ichirin no Hana_

"My skin is hard enough to block the strongest swords. A mere fist should not hurt me in the slightest.", he spoke. I growled as I heard that, jumped away from him. "What are you? A youkai? You are no human...!", I growled. Ulquiorra began to walk towards me. "I am of a species called 'Hollow'... to be more specific, I am an 'Arrancar', a more humanic appearing sub-species of hollows. But a stronger sub-species.", he replied.

I growled shortly, displeased about the fact that my attack had not caused any damage to Ulquiorra, but ignored it straight away and charged at him again. Again, Ulquiorra stopped, let me attack him... my kick hit him into the side... only did he not even flinch. Instead, I felt pain shoot through my body, the source the leg that had hit Ulquiorra... It was like kicking a mountain. No effect at all.

Suddenly, Ulquiorra spun around on the spot. His kick was aimed just as well as mine... and did hit just as mine. Only was I sent flying through the air. I landed on the ground with my left shoulder first, bounced off it the same second that incredible pain shot through my body.

Eventually, as I found myself lying on my stomach on the ground, I tried to get a hold of what had just happened. Raising my gaze, I found Ulquiorra standing in still the very same spot. I growled and pushed myself off the ground, ready to rush at him again. But as soon as I realized why I ended up on the ground, I thought about it again.

Unfortunately for me, he was now the offensive one, and before I knew, he was aside me with a quick movement, his right leg already rammed into my stomach. I doubled over in pain, only to receive a second kick, which was aimed at my legs, resulting in me falling flat onto my face. Onto the ground. Where I remained.

"That was it? The chosen one... chosen for nothing?", muttered Ulquiorra, staring down at me with those emotionless eyes. Then, he turned away. "What pity... You are not worth of the nihilism... trash." And as he spoke, something inside me snapped.

I forced myself off the ground again, causing him to turn his head my way again. "Yeah sure. If you want to believe that... fine! But I am not done with you... I show you why I am the chosen pessimist! Why I am the chosen one!", I snarled. Ulquiorra didn't change his expression in the slightest as he turned back to me. "Then show me why you are the so called 'chosen one'.", replied the nihilist. Oh, the fact that his hands are still in his pockets annoys me!

"Alright...", I growled, "...here I go!" I charged at him again, this time, well knowing that his skin would not let me do damage to him... but someting is different this time. I feel something within me that tells me what to do... a voice in the back of my head, other than that of... **him**...

Ulquiorra didn't move, just as before. He let the blow connect with him... but this time, instead of using my fist, I pushed my palm against his chest. "NEGATION!" I was amazed at myself as I screamed the word, which echoed through the gigantic room... but nothing happened. But on instinct, I moved my second hand, clenched into a fist, without removing my right hand from his chest.

And as the fist hit him into the chest... his eyes widened and he growled in pain... and was thrown through the room. I blinked as I stood alone now, Ulquiorra thrown into a wall and now buried beneath debris. _"What the bloody hell was that just right now?"_, I thought and stared down at my own hands.

"Impressive." I flinched as I heard Ulquiorra speak, and upon looking at the debris, I found that he had freed himself. "You used negative energy, which you channeled from your body into mine, to deny the effect that my skin has just as long as you touch me... the blow you gave me of course affected me due to that...", muttered Ulquiorra, brushing some dust off his robe.

"I see...", I muttered, turning back to stare at my own hands. "I noticed it just now... you seem to constantly absorb the negative energy from your surroundings and charge it into your body... basically, you work like a battery with an endless storage capacity...", commented Ulquiorra, before he suddenly withdrew his hands from his pockets. "This could become the first real interesting fight I ever had... chosen one.", he muttered, extended a hand towards me... green energy gathering inside it.

_Music change: Metroid Prime 2 Echoes - Quadraxis_

In the very last moment, I threw myself to the left, just in time to avoid a green laser being fired from Ulquiorras fingers. I landed on the ground in a roll, which I ended with another jump, just in time to avoid the second laser. As I landed on the ground this time, I was unable to avoid that laser... and on reflex, I turned towards it... and to my surprise, my right hand glowed green... and I backhanded the laser away.

"...impressive. You are able to block a cero... a cero of this strength... but I have already realized that these are not your usual powers. At this very moment, you are already experiencing the strength you will gain with the disposal of your current life...", whispered Ulquiorra... but still, his expression changed not in the slightest, his black lips still a straight black line...

His eyes trailed over to the stone-cold heart of leaving behind. "That heart is absorbing the negative energy around it... and is releasing them high ammount of dense negative energy that is charged up in a very special way... your body aims to absorb especially that special energy... and that energy is the one that gives you the abilities you use at the moment..."

I rose an eyebrow and glared over to the heart, which had begun to beat incredibly fast. "I do not mind that. Maybe this is why you are the chosen one... because you are the only one that can use it's power... the only one who can absorb negative energy around you... manipulate it... you seem not to know, but your real strength comes from the despair of others... the destruction of life gives you the power of death...", spoke Ulquiorra, making me turn back to him.

"Alright, let's continue this!", I exclaimed, jumping into the air. Ulquiorra immediately aimed a cero, one of those lasers, at me, but it missed me and exploded in the wall behind me. A quick glance over my shoulder, mostly of worry that the grave could collapse if it takes too many of those ceros, should take my by surprise.

The wall, which had a deep hole in it, was regenerating. The damage, the hole, closed up, new stones appearing where old were lost. "This grave is just like the power it grants... it denies anything." Hearing Ulquiorra speak again, I twirled back to him, and only a quick roll in midair allowed me to avoid the next cero.

But I continued my ascend, the power I had used to jump still enough... _"Once I reach the ceiling, I can turn around and push off it, aim for the mask and grab it... with the power I will archieve then, I will easily beat him... Ulquiorra, he..."_ Suddenly, the noise of something moving... and then, Ulquiorra was right above me.

My eyes widened, I tried to avoid... but it was already too late. The cero hit me square in the chest, stopped my ascend. Instead, I reached the ground thrice as fast as my speed upwards, pain shooting through my body, making it numb.

As the cero died down, the green light of it gone, I found myself inside a small crater in the ground, my back throbbing in pain I had never experienced like this... And with a sudden noise of something moving, Ulquiorra stood at the edge of the crater, staring down at me.

"My sonido is too fast for you... Sonido, the ability of arrancar to move with one step...it is teleportation, if you want so... but you won't manage to outspeed it. Not like you are now..." Hearing those emotionless words of explanation, I growled, forced myself out of the ground with sheer willforce I never knew I had. Once I was on all fours, I began to growl, rose my gaze so it met Ulquiorras. "I won't need to... do that!", I snarled, rose to my feet again.

_Music Change: Kelun - Boys don't cry_

"I believe that as well... You have proven that you are strong and quick... you adjust to changes pretty fast...you don't go into panic when your opponent seems overpowered...", replied Ulquiorra, taking a step back, "...you are definetly a being I don't see as worthless... not entirely, at last. But I still don't think you are worthy to be the chosen one..."

"Pretty talkative, aren't you?", I snickered as I jumped out of the crater, ignoring all the pain I had. "Let's go!", I screamed, charging at him. This time, Ulquiorra took the hands out of his pockets and blocked my strike with them. I landed on the ground before him, turned and kicked, but so did he, and so we blocked each others kick.

I moved my leg, captured his in back of my knee and tried to pull him off balance, but he moved as well and turned, ending his turn with a punch into my gut. I took it, however, and hit him in the chest with a punch, causing him to slide backwards on the ground. "I won't give up that easily! It is my destiny to become the end of it all! I did not wander around for three centuries to abandon the path now!", I shouted, glared at him... and felt how my body grew hot for a moment, glowing in green energy.

I pushed myself off the ground, jumped towards him. I was still in midair when my punch hit the back of his hand, releasing a shockwave of wind. "I will not give up!" "I haven't expected it any other way." Still in midair, I pushed myself away from him with the power of the attack before, and in midair, I decided to try something.

My gaze shifted to the heart of nihilism, the stone-cold heart of leaving behind... for the first time, I should see negative energy particles, green sparks released by the heart. But they were blurry... my senses had not fully adjusted to the limit on which I should see them, I guess. But I extended a hand towards the heart... and saw how some of the sparks began to fly towards me... maybe this really worked.

Suddenly, the noise of moving. Immediately, I pulled my arms in and crossed them before my body, blocking Ulquiorras punch. He twirled, kicked, but I blocked it as well with my arms. The power of the kick sent me higher into the air, where I concentrated... and for the first time ever, I should release bullets.

Ulquiorras eyes widened as green orbs appeared around me and flew towards him, but he lifted his hands and some green orbs shot from his hands. As they hit each other, mine and his orbs negated each other, leaving back only me and him... he, who landed on the ground right now.

"Was that just Bala?", he shouted up to where I rested my feet against the wall above the room with the weeping angels. "I don't know what Bala is... this was just negative energy in the shape of orbs.", I replied, pushing myself off the wall. "Bala is what I just used, a quicker but weaker version of cero.", explained Ulquiorra and began running towards me on the ground.

In midair, I concentrated again, releasing once more these green bullets... and this time, a hell of ammount of them! Ulquiorras eyes widened for a second and he came to an immediate stop as he saw the ammount of them... even I was surprised when I looked left and right from me and found a whole army of them. But I began to smirk, then moved my arms forwards... causing all the bullets to charge at the nihilist on the ground.

He rose an arm to block the bullets aiming at his face, well knowing that negative energy seemed to hurt him, however, there was no need to... my aiming with those bullets was horrible, I don't understand how to control them... but I will find out sooner or later, I guess.

As soon as the hail of bullets was over, Ulquiorra suddenly vanished, only to reappear right before me. I hissed, brought my arms up to defend myself... but he was quicker. He kicked me into a wall, but not with enough power for me to break into the wall... I rather hit it, then bounced off it and fell to the ground. During my fall, I turned around and threw more bullets at him, which he negated with his "Bala" technique.

Suddenly, I felt my back hit the ground... harder than I expected, actually causing so much pain that I found myself unable to move... even as Ulquiorra suddenly stood next to me. "You are unable to move...", he spoke. _"Thanks for saying the obvious!"_, I growled in my thoughts... and suddenly, felt myself being lifted up into the air. Ulquiorra had grabbed me by the throat, held me up in the air... and then threw me into the middle of the room, right against the podestal on which the mask was.

I screamed out in pain as my back impacted with the podestal... I was sitting on the ground, my back leaned against the podestal... unable to move... and suddenly, Ulquiorra stood before me again... held his hand before my chest.

"That was it... Normally, I do not dispose of others if I do not need to... but I don't think you can be entrusted with the mask, even if you have proven to be at least somewhat worthy...", he muttered. Then, he reached back, ready to stab his hand into my chest, right beneath the throath... I closed my eyes, awaited the end... and heard stone move on stone. "What...?", exclaimed Ulquiorra, and I immediately opened my eyes... and found me and Ulquiorra in the middle of a circle of seven stone angels, all staring at us.

_Music change: In Flames - Moonshield (6)_

This small distraction was enough for me to recover. I kicked Ulquiorras foot away, causing the nihilist to fall. Ulquiorra rolled away from me... I did not attack him, waited for him to stand up again. If I am going to end this... then at least fair until the end.

"You really are somewhat worthy... You see... I usually do not need my hands to fight... I kill my enemies otherwise... but you... you really are something special...", he spoke... a small grin on his lips... which freaked me out. Ulquiorra seemed not to be someone to change his expression. At all.

"Fine... you have managed to hold yourself against all of my attacks so far... even against my cero and my hands... I see no other way but to..." The nihilist trailed off, seemed to overthink this again... but then, moved his right hand... and pulled his sword.

"Use Muciélago.", he finished. "That's the name of your katana?", I asked, raising an eyebrow. _"Black-winged Great Demon..."_ Ulquiorra did not reply... instead, he suddenly charged at me, his katana aimed at my side. My eyes widened and I quickly rose my right hand, which was again covered in green negative energy, blocking the sword with it without receiving a scratch.

Instead, a shockwave was set free, pushing both me and Ulquiorra away from each other... but as it did not throw us off balance, we just sled over the ground... and came to a stop right before the weeping angels. I pushed myself off the ground, charged for the mask... I just need to put it on my face and...

Suddenly, Ulquiorra stood right before me, bringing down his katana in a horizontal slash, which I managed to block with negative energy in my right hand. He pulled it back, tried to kick my feet away, but I jumped over his kick, managed to hit him in the chest with a kick... but he took it, grabbed my feet with his free hand, smashed me into the ground.

I quickly rolled aside to avoid his slash, stumbled to my feet... Slowly, I felt negative energy build up in me... and found myself unable to run. I walked. Calm. Towards my enemy. Ulquiorra slashed... hit my neck... but his sword did not pierce my skin, much to his surprise. I would've been surprised, too... if I didn't move my hand, laid it upon his chest... "NEGATION!"

_Music stop_

* * *

><p>I turned towards the mask, a big smirk on my face. Slowly, I moved my hands, extended them to the white mask... the mask was completely made of a white material... what, I don't exactly now. The eyes of the mask were two half circles, the flat side the top. The mouth of the mask was a single line... the mask itself looked totally indifferent, looked at nothing and yet everything... looked at them the same way.<p>

My hands trembled as I slowly lifted the mask... turning my head to the left, I found Ulquiorra on the ground, coughing... the last attack had given him the rest... his strength to fight lost...

"What are you... waiting for? I am... fine...", coughed the nihilist, slowly raising his gaze to me. "Don't tell me... you care... Because that is what you should stop to do...", he growled. I sighed, ignored him... turned back to the mask in my shaking hands... and then, slowly, rose it to my face... let it envelop my face... let the end flow through me...

...but I felt nothing. Nothing changed.

Suddenly, I heard a noise. I took the mask off... blinked... waited for something to be different... but it wasn't. The noise continued, a rattling noise, the noise of chains being moved by something... turning around, the mask still in my hands, I found that the chains, which held the giant skeleton sculpture, moved, were loosened by some mechanism... the skeletons hands slowly were released... they were still shackled, but the chains weren't as tight as before...

A gaze to my right told me that Ulquiorra was staring at the skeleton sculpture as well, which suddenly closed it's mouth... stopping the flow of green water. The heart stopped to release the green light upwards into the skeleton was well...

Eventually, the arms of the skeleton hung on each side of it... then, all of sudden, the chain of the seven sins loosened as well... causing the skeleton sculpture to simply hang there...

Until it's head suddenly snapped up, green eyes staring at me.

_Music: Legend of Zelda Wind Waker - Jabun's Theme'_

**"So... time has come...", **spoke the skeleton (7) as it slowly began to move his body upwards... it lived. It was living! A living stone sculpture moving on its own! **"...the chosen one has arrived... but is he truly the chosen one?" **The skeleton suddenly put his hands onto the ground, leaned onto them... moved his head until it was right before me.

**"He does hold the mask of no more future." **I blinked at that, then looked down at the mask in my hands. **"He does hold the mask of no more future, and he has filled the stone-cold heart of leaving behind with emotions. Stone-cold heart of leaving behind has his name in its memory. Chôzen Gekido."**

Slowly, I nodded.** "So time has come. Chôzen Gekido, you have arrived. You have managed to fill the heart with emotions, and you have the mask... That is indeed very good..."** I grinned, watched as the skeleton moved again so it was in its original position... only the shackles were still loosened...

**"...but to gain what you desire, you will have to pass one last test."** That I didn't fall over at that was a miracle. But nontheless, I chose to put the mask back onto the podestal. God knows what may happen in the last test...

**"...defeat the guardian. Defeat the guardian of this sanctuary to archieve the perfect balance..."** I growled under my breath, glared around, waited for the guardian... **"Your test starts now."** As the earth shook again, I flinched, turned to the skeleton... and jumped away from a gigantic sword in the last second.

_Music change: Earthbound - Sanctuary Guardian_

"You are the guardian?", I exclaimed, in shock and yet awe. The giant skeleton had gained two weapons... two gigantic swords, in each hand one. **"Defeat me, chosen one, to prove yourself worthy. Defeat me while I swing the swords of bloodlust and guilt, Tyrfing and Alastor."** I took a step back, growled... but... "Fine.", I shouted up to the skeleton... which then suddenly brought the sword in the right hand down.

**"Tyrfing."**, he spoke, right before the sword impated with the ground... causing a massive earthquake. Also, it created a black slash made of energy, which was rushing at me. In the very last moment, I managed to jump aside... but I landed on my side on the ground, and once more felt the damage my body had already gotten.

Snarling in pain, I stood up again, glared at where the black slash had been... it was now gone, but still... I don't want to be hit by that... Turning back to the skeleton, I found that it had the other hand raised over it's head. Alastor...

**"Alastor."**, he spoke, bringing the other sword down... causing green shockwaves as it hit the ground. With jumps, I managed to get over the shockwaves, reached the hand... and suddenly, felt something incredibly large hit me from the left, sending me flying through the room.

I flew past Ulquiorra and crashed into a wall, this time, actually breaking into it, leaving a crater back. The skeleton must have hit me with its other hand... damn it!

Forcing myself out of the wall, I found the skeleton stare at me... right before he shot green lasers out of his eyes. They weren't as large as Ulquiorras cero, but a lot thinner and faster. Despite the knowledge that it would be painful, I jumped aside and caught myself in a roll on the ground, creating those bullets of negative energy around me.

The skeleton could not avoid, that was my little advantage... and indeed, they seemed to hurt him, as he growled as they hit him. But I had no time to lazy around, I knew that, so I quickly ran towards it, creating more and more bullets.

But as I was closer to him, the skeleton suddenly swung Tyrfing and Alastor in a circle, blocking all of my bullets, then looked at me, and used lasers again. I came to a sliding stop, tried to jump away... as my legs gave in, pain shooting through them because of the battle with Ulquiorra before... _"Dammit! Not now! The worst moment for...!"_ **KABOOM!**

The explosion took me by surprise, not because I was hit, but because it was somewhere to my left... Looking up, I found Ulquiorra stand before me, having blocked the lasers with his katana. "U-Ulquiorra...!", I muttered, but he just put his katana back into its sheath and stepped aside. "Now we are even.", he muttered as he passed me, walked towards a wall... and leaned against it.

I growled, but nodded into his direction... then stood up, faced the skeleton again. "Let's finish this! I'm not going to give up to archieve the perfect balance, just because of you!", I exclaimed, clenching my fists. **"That is good. You have the will... the power... but you still need to defeat me. Tyrfing."** He called the name of his sword as he brought it down again, hammered it onto the ground.

I jumped aside as the black slash rolled towards me, ran towards him, ready to strike him and end this once and for all... **"Alastor." **_"Just what I waited for!" _The other sword hit the ground, I jumped over the shockwaves, landed on the hand, ran past Alastor until I reached the shackles... and absorbed the negative energy flowing through them into me.

**"WHAT?"** ,shouted the guardian as I began to glow in green from within, turned to him... and smirked at him. I smirked at him as I jumped past the head, landed on the other hand, rushed past Tyrfing and laid a hand onto the dark chains... and began to absorb the darkness. "NO!" A massive fist with the sword of guilt tried to hit me, but I had finished charging up already and jumped onto his back.

Instead, the fist with the sword of guilt hit the wall, allowed me perfect acess to the last shackle... the shackles of the seven sins! With them absorbed into me as well, I jumped over his head... landed on the ground before him... Calm. Charged. My mind set merely on the future that lay ahead... the future I would not have!

"This was the test... right? The three shackles that are laid around you... have to be laid around the chosen one as well... they are the limiters...", I whispered, lifting my arms... which suddenly lay in chains. Looking at my right arm, I found dark chains dangling from it... looking at my left arm, I found green shackles... and a chain with seven chain links on my back glowed in the seven colors of the seven deadly sins.

"The tree limiters...", I muttered, a big grin on my face... until a roaring laughter echoed through the room. **"LIMITERS? HOHOHOHOHO! You amuse me! No, these are not the limiters! These are the three chains! The three chains the chosen one, the perfect nihilist is bound to! The limiters... there are twelve limiters in total! (8)"** I looked flabbergasted at the giant skeleton... which suddenly rammed the swords into the ground aside him.

**"But you are right. You have won."** I nodded slowly... then turned around and looked at the podestal as the skeleton pointed at it. **"Go now. The mask should have powered up by now."** I frowned. "What?", I asked, blinking. **"The mask was without power. The mask of no more future needs to be powered by the emotions of the stone-cold heart of leaving behind. During our match, I allowed the water of left emotions to reach the podestal."**

I looked down at the foot of the podestal... indeed, a few more trenches had opened, the water now reaching the podestal, making several lines on it glow green. Slowly, I stepped towards the mask, the chains on my body rattling with every movement I made. (10)

As I reached the podestal... I threw a worried and questioning glance at Ulquiorra, who was still observing me. Then, I turned to the skeleton, which nodded... and then, I turned back to the podestal... took the mask in my shaking hands... the mask had changed, its color now a glowing green... and then, I laid the mask on my face.

_Music stop_

* * *

><p>Ulquiorra watched in silence as Chôzen Gekido suddenly began to scream, green light coming out of his mouth and eyes, illuminating the whole grave, which had been dark until now. The seven weeping angels were now dancing around him as he screamed...<p>

...the mask melting into his face. The mask becoming one with him... Slowly turning his eyes away from the screaming chosen one, they trailed over to the skeleton, which watched all of this in silence, not moving once. Ulquiorra, however, found that the stone-cold heart of leaving behind, as it had been called, had vanished.

Looking up at the skeleton, Ulquiorra found it in the chest of the stone-sculpture... and noticed that there were now additional chains on the skeletons body... namely, an additional chain on each wrist, laid around the arm and the chest... connected to the heart of leaving behind. An additional chain of each color... save for the seven sins. An additional black chain, wrapped around the right arm, an additional green chain, wrapped around the left arm... (4)

**"You desire the nihilism as well... do you not, Ulquiorra Cifer?"** Ulquiorra rose an eyebrow. **"Merely being in this room as the nihilism unleashes... it will affect yours as well... you want the power of nihilism... this youkai there has given you it... the power to go beyond what you can... you will soon see what I mean... when you become full again..."**

* * *

><p><em>Music: Chôzen Gekido's theme - A2 - Chosen one<em>

Unimaginable pain went through my body, every vein inside me burning like hell, every muscle throbbing in what appeared to be infinite pain. I wished I could make it stop, wished I could rip my body apart and make it go away... as I felt something else. Something was tugging on me... not on my body... but on my soul... something was tearing me apart inside...

Finding the strength back to move my head, I looked down to my chest, where the pull was the strongest... and found a green flame leaving my chest, hovering before my body... a flame... a soul... a flame-soul... my flame-soul... a part of my soul...

And as I saw it... aside all the pain... as I felt slowly all become nothing, the world around me go black... as I felt the pain at its strongest... I could not help... but feel one emotion... my possibly last emotion... my one last emotion...

...Happiness.

_Music stop_

* * *

><p><em>Present, Hueco Mundo<em>

"Did I cut off your arm and leg, too?", he asked, staring at me. That insolent, stupid human boy... "Then cut off mine!" I let out a sound of surprise, my lanza del relampago vanishing. ...he sure is insolent... and yet... he reminds me so much of... him... that chosen one...

"Kurosaki-kun!", exclaimed the woman. "I was unconciousness when I fought with you in that hollow form. That wasn't me. It wouldn't be a fair fight unless I am in the same state as you!" I could not believe my ears as he spoke those insolent words... that orange haired boy... Ichigo Kurosaki... looking at me as if he was entirely sure, aware of what he was saying!

"Stop it, Kurosaki! Do you realize what you are saying? Kurosaki!" I didn't care as that puny Quincy spoke... but those words of Kurosaki... remind me so much of that Gekido... And only for a short moment, it was as if I looked at him instead of Kurosaki...

"Very well, I shall comply if that is your wish.", I spoke, turned to Ichigo Kurosaki, extended my wings... and suddenly felt pain shoot through me. Ichigos eyes widened... and for a short moment, it was as if the world was black and white... with me and him being the only black...

Turning my head around, I found that my wings were becoming nothing more than ash... "Tch. I'm that far gone?", I asked nobody in particular. I could hear Ichigo Kurosaki gasp in disbelief... so I turned back to him... And though I knew the answer... I said those words nontheless... in the end, Ichigo Kurosaki, a person I have acknowledged as worthy.. shall have this satisfaction... "Kill me."

Those two words flew out of my mouth so easily... "Hurry up... I no longer have the strength to walk... You'll never finish the fight if you don't kill me now...", I spoke... and felt a tug somewhere in the left side of my chest... why, I don't understand...

"No." I almost frowned as I heard the whisper... but I must have heard wrong... "What was that?", I asked, staring at his lips... waiting for them to move and say the opposite of what I had just heard... "I won't do it." No... he has really said it... but why?

"I... I don't want to win like this!", he screamed... somewhat in between anger and sadness... and though I was surprised for a second as I saw Chôzen Gekido in his spot again... I chuckled dryly. "You never did as anticipated, up to the very end...", I muttered... and then saw, out of the corner of my eyes... that woman move...

"Right as I was finally growing interested in you people.", I whispered, seeing that woman look at me with the same worry Ichigo Kurosaki showed me... Before my eyes... I saw a memory of mine... a conversation with this woman... she talked about friends and a heart... I don't understand what a heart is... but...

"What is this... Heart?", I asked as I extended my hand towards that woman. And a question appeared inside my head... a question that could... maybe answer all of my questions... regarding this... 'heart'... "Do I scare you, woman?", I asked, extending my hand to her... staring at her lips, waiting for an answer... "I am not afraid... I am not afraid.", she replied, looking at me with that emotion called 'worry'...

"I see..."

Slowly, I felt the strength leave me, my arm becoming numb, slowly sinking... that woman extended her hand to mine... but before she could reach it, my arm began to dissolve into ash... "I see...", I repeated... my body slowly dissolving completely. "Her heart was right...", I muttered, my body now merely ash. "...in my hands."

_So does... the heart lay in the hand? I do... not understand... but it was there... all along..._

_Chôzen Gekido... if we would've met again... would you've been able to tell me?_

* * *

><p>(1) Beelzemon is one of the "seven great demonlords", seven digimon that represent the seven deadly sins. Beelzemon is number six, the gluttony. Other members are Lucemon Falldown mode (Pride), Leviamon (Envy), Daemon (Wrath), Belphemon Rage Mode (Sloth), Barbamon (Greed) and Lilithmon (Lust).<p>

(2) Dialouge was inspired by a flash called "Power Star 4" by D-Sun. Those two lines ("I am willing to risk everything to stop you" and "Then face me. One. Last. Time.") just stuck in my head as I wrote this scene, so I put them in.

(3) So, as promised in chapter 4, I went into detail about the stone statues of angels... Weeping angels are from "Dr. Who", a species that has a rather perfect defense mechanism: when they are stared at by someone, they turn into stone. But as soon as nothing stares at them... they move with incredible speed, and once looked at them again, they have demonic faces made of stone and often try to grab you (or so it appears). Weeping angels, to prevent themselves from looking at each other, have their hands before their eyes, as they would turn to stone otherwise.

(4) You soon will see in I-NB why the hell the skeleton was in three shackles in three different places (hands and back). And yeah... for those of you who noticed (and that will be a lot), the chains represent Rumia Shisô (right hand, darkness), Chôzen Gekido (left hand, negative energy) and Nanatsu no Taizai (back, seven sins). The reason I put two (4) in this is because both events are important, both what the chains are made of as well as that they have all moved when Chôzen received the indifference (darkness and negativity have both extended an additional chain to the heart)

(5) The emotions before this are those of Plutchik's wheel of emotions. The even number following the uneven one is always the opposite (2 is the opposite to 1, 4 to 3 and so on). The ones behind the (5) are emotions/things I added.

(6) Ulquiorras theme song, as chosen by Tite Kubo

(7) I imagined Jabun's voice from Wind Waker when I wrote the skeleton. Why, I don't know.

(8) Can anyone guess what the twelve limiters are? Little hint: there are actually 24 of them, but they are in pairs.

(9) "Eye waz here" (11)

(10) The thing about the chains will soon become important... you get more insight then, I believe.

(11) Sorry, couldn't resist the (9) joke

* * *

><p><em>So yeah... this was it... IT'S GLORIOUS! IT'S GIGANTIC! IT'S THE LONGEST CHAPTER I HAVE EVER WRITTEN FOR NEGATIVE BULLET PROJECT!<em>

_Oh man, so much... can't... handle... satisfaction! How in gods name did I manage to write so much? ...must have been because I was unable to write for so long... I mean, all the ideas that popped into my head while I was waiting, yearning to finish this chapter..._

_So yeah, we actually got not only the path of nihilism, but also the path of hatred! And look, it is everyones favourite nihilist! Hi, Ulquiorra!_

_But yeah. Why Digimon Tamers? Why path of hatred? Why Takato so OOC? Reason: When I watched Digimon Tamers (My favourite Digimon Season, expect me to write a one-shot when I have the time to do so), I freaking loved episodes 34-36. I mean... Leomon gets killed (again, duh), Beelzemon, Takato, Takatos hatred, Megidramon, Gallantmon... But I always... I always had the feeling that something was amiss. I mean.. Tamers is, without a doubt, the darkest digimon season. But I wished it would've contained more of Megidramon and Takatos hatred... I mean, Takato, the cheery, always nice boy becomes the hatred itself for a few secs... and then is all whiny and sniffy and 'boo, what have I done...' _

_I mean sure. It was nontheless great but... I would've wished he was longer in his "hatred mode", was longer "Megidramons Tamer" and less "Megidramon's burden". I mean.. they could have made Takato at least somewhat of an antagonist for a few episodes, but no... let's make him cry and all that! Dammit... That episodes had so much potential... I mean, they could have made Megidramon at least return later on in the fight vs. D-Reaper or something..._

_If there is ever going to be a second Tamers season, I want Megidramon. And Takato. And Hatred-Takato. And Gallantmon. And Rukato (yep Takato x Rika)! And I want Cake! Goddammit, I got no cake on the birthday of my grandma on saturday!_

_But yeah. So much done, so much to talk... so less sleep. _

_That's it, anyways! Hope you liked this huge ass chapter (at least for me, I know you famous authors can do better than that, but still... For me, it was good! No offense to anyone! ...But I mean, dammit! This story just got almost 21 000 words longer!) and I see you next update!_

_So long!_


	10. 9 Sunset! Soul of Twilight

_**Flame-Soul: **__Jo!_

_**SorrowfulReincarnation: **__You've got to be kidding me. You're back?_

_**Chôzen: **__Well, the food was good..._

_**SorrowfulReincarnation:**__ *vein on forehead*_

_**Flame-Soul: **__And we got to play videogames for free._

_**SorrowfulReincarnation:**__ ALRIGHT! THAT'S IT! Not only did you annoy me and eat my food... now you come back! I can accept all that... but no one plays my videogames! You heard me!_

_**Flame-Soul: **__Does this mean we can't do it again?_

_**SorrowfulReincarnation:**__ ...Run._

_**Chôzen: **__I'm already gone *door slams close*_

_**Flame-Soul: **__Alright! __SorrowfulReincarnation does not own Touhou, Team Shanghai Alice / ZUN does. However, SorrowfulReincarnation does own Chôzen Gekido, the flame-soul and Nanatsu no Taizai, characters he has created. _

_In todays chapter, we're going to see how Chôzen Gekido met one of his closest friends! Yep, nobody else than the mistress of twilight, master of reincarnation... the owner of the most powerful spark of them all! It's Mima!_

_**SorrowfulReincarnation:**__ Okay, enough. Time's up!_

_**Flame-Soul: **__Here we go again! *flees through window*_

_**SorrowfulReincarnation:**__ ... *jumps after flame-soul*_

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 9: Sunset ~ Soul of Twilight<strong>

_About 800 years ago, Gensokyo - Hakurei Shrine_

It was a dark night in Gensokyo, the sounds of storm carried across the land, lightning illuminating the heavens over and over again. For the current Hakurei Miko, it was clear that something would happen that night... wether it be good or bad, she didn't know... but what she knew was that she would not manage to close an eye that night...

..what she didn't know, however, was that that something she was worried should happen right behind the Hakurei Shrine. The cause of the heavy rain, the storm that plaqued all Gensokyo... the cause of such a gigantic disaster... was a flame. A small flame, hovering before a tombstone.

The flame itself seemed tranquil, moved calmly, hovered slightly up and down... but inside, anger was stored. The flame was an angry soul, an evil spirit... a powerful evil spirit without a shape...

Lightning struck through the heaven... and the soul began to move faster. Began to become active... began to glow green from within, brighter than the moon over the heavy stormclouds... and then, stopped to glow, became tranquil again...

...but suddenly, the tombstone began to glow in the same, eerie green light. But also only for a very few seconds, before the light itself vanished... The soul seemed not to be bothered, it remained tranquil, flew before the grave, waited... waited for it to happen...

And it did happen. A green lightning strike burst out of the clouds, aimed directly at the tombstone, hit it, broke it, caused it to explode into thousands of debris... left back an eerie fog... a thick, dense fog laid upon the lands as the evil spirit rose from it's remains...

Suddenly, in the middle of the fog, right where formerly the tombstone had been... green eyes snapped open, took in the surroundings... and an evil grin spread across the evil spirits face as it looked down at its body... the body it had gained, the shape.. the identity...

She was "alive"... was back among the living again... could interact with the physical world, could be seen... could spread her terror... her revenge on the humanity could finally take place... But before, she had to find **him**...

* * *

><p>The lightning above me didn't scare me in the slightest... to be honest, I didn't care what weather it was. Didn't care where I was. Didn't care who I was... or if I was even at all. With the destruction of Nanatsu no Taizai's life, a new chapter in my story had opened... or rather, an old chapter was being repeated. The indifference. The nihilism. I was back to walking the path... or rather, the aftermath... was being the same indifferent asshole as before... and all my doubts had vanished... had been cleansed off me...<p>

I scratched my neck, leaned my head back until the world was upside down... it looked so different, and yet the same... Above me, I saw the cliff... the cliff that I spend my nights in... I wouldn't call it a home... because I don't care about where I am... but back when Nanatsu and I had just met, when I slowly left behind the nihilism... back then, that cave had been my home.

...but now I know that the path of nihilism just fooled me, pretended that I had left it behind so it could shatter the last emotion: The love.

...and though I am back to the nihilism, am back to being indifferent... despite that... I feel guilt at destroying Nanatsu's life for selfish reasons... even if I didn't know I did and didn't want to. But that's just how it is... I am the destroyer... I am not to create, but to destroy... I do not start, I do end... That is how it always was... and always will be...

Distant memories of lives I destroyed, even if only for a second, sometimes appear before my inner eye... Why, I cannot say... But faces like that of Takato Matsuki... Nanatsu no Taizai... they linger within me...

Suddenly, I heard birds in the distance. This was nothing unusual, and I usually did not care about it... but it was the change in the air around me... the change of the aura of the whole land...

Slowly, I rose my head and stared into the direction of the Hakurei Shrine, from where this aura came that changed the whole land... the desire for revenge... eternal hatred... strong enough to cover the whole land... and it was moving directly into my direction.

I remained where I was... something told me that going away was no option... It wouldn't matter where I am... whatever the cause of this aura was... it was after me. And I knew that. Knew it from the second that the birds flew away in a tree near me...

And only a few seconds later, I should see what was the cause of this aura... as she stepped out of the trees, her gaze fixed directly on me. "Chôzen... Gekido...", she chuckled, tilting her head a little. "That I am.", I replied to the greenhaired spirit... if I am not wrong, she is an evil spirit... an evil spirit driven by madness and revenge... by hatred...

"So I found you...", she muttered, stepping closer... her legs suddenly becoming pale, dissolving into smoke... turning into a ghost tail. And she was still coming closer... came closer until she hovered in front of me, a desirous grin on her lips...

"We meet again.", spoke the greenhaired evil spirit, crossing her arms in front of her chest. "I don't understand.", I replied. At that, the evil spirit laughed loudly, threw her head back and laughed into the heavens, as if she was laughing at Yukari Yakumo herself... the creator of this world...

"That is sad...", chuckled the evil spirit eventually, her tail turning into legs again. "It is sad to hear that you do not remember me. But I cannot blame you for that... when we met last time, I was merely a shapeless soul...", she continued as she sat onto the ground before me. And I understood. "I see. That green flame by the Hakurei Shrine."

The evil spirit nodded. "Yes... that was me. So you do remember.", she chuckled. "If I would not remember, I would make you special. That cannot be the case, as I have walked the path of nihilism... everyone is the same for me.", I replied. "Hm... yes, I heard about you. My descendant surely is confused by you.", sighed the evil spirit, but the smile remained on her lips.

"So you are really Mima Hakurei." The evil spirit nodded. "I am Mima Hakurei. I am the reincarnation of a human with a dream of a paradise.", she spoke, closing her eyes as she stared to nod. "Then why are you an evil spirit?", I asked. And at that, Mima Hakurei chuckled.

"Well... there is a reason as for why I have reincarnated...", she muttered. "I can feel that.", I replied. "You hatred is over all of Gensokyo." Mima sighed, crossed her arms again. "Yes. I have reincarnated as I saw that my dream is nothing but a failure... instead of the peace, I have found nothing but hatred and destruction... humans and youkai still fight. Still kill each other. Within and outside of Gensokyo.", she replied.

"Then why are you here again?", I asked. "...to end this nonsense. I have not given my life to things to carry on. It was a failure... an experiment gone wrong... I have to terminate it and start over again... this time, with the power of the evil.", sighed Mima as she stood up.

"...and why are you telling me this? What is the reason for you to track me down?", I asked. At that, the evil spirit chuckled, her legs turning back into a ghost tail. Eventually, she turned away from me, turned her back to me... and then, glanced over her shoulder at me. "I want you to join me. I feel a great deal of hatred locked within you... the hatred for humanity... the hatred for the existence... With your powers to end... and my powers to manipulate the reincarnation of things... we could..."

She stopped as I stood up, looking at her with the same indifference as always... but for some reason she looked frightened. Terribly frightened.

"Listen to me... evil spirit that has regained a humanoid shape...", I whispered, stepping closer to her. "...the existence shall remain as it is. It is not time for it to end... the 666th milennium has not arisen. In the 666th millenium, it shall be me to end it all... I do not tolerate somebody interfering with how it was supposed to be...", I growled.

The evil spirit named Mima had rosen an eyebrow and stared at me with something in between confusion and plain fear. "I...I see...", she muttered. "You have now three options... First one: Go back to wherever you were and stay there. Second: You remain here in Gensokyo and do not threaten it how it is in any way... and third:..."

I closed my eyes and crossed my arms. "...you try to end all of this... but be sure, if the last one should be your decision... that I will negate you... make you vanish. As if you had never reincarnated... do you understand?" She stared at me, no distinct emotion on her face.

But instead of letting her answer, I turned away from her and walked back to the stone I had sat on before... and sat down on it again. **"And here you say you don't care."**, laughed a voice in the back of my head. "Shut up.", I replied. _**"He is indeed pretty easily annoyed... if it is about his duty, he is serious."**_, spoke a third voice... that of the split part of my soul.

Looking up, I found that Mima Hakurei still hovered there, looked at me as if I was some madman... and that was who I was... mad. "I... see...", she whispered eventually... and flew off. Distraught. Her plans shattered.

* * *

><p><em>about 700 years ago, Gensokyo - Hakurei Shrine<em>

Mima Hakurei sat on the roof of the shrine in the late evening, stared into the sunset. She had her head leaned onto a fist, a bored and yet sad expression on her face. "What are you thinking about, Mima Hakurei?" She yelped, turned to look aside her... and found Chôzen Gekido sitting there, looking into the sunset.

"Oh... it's you...", she muttered, then turned back to the sunset. "What are you here for? Laughing at me?", she asked. "Laughing? I do not possess emotions. How can I laugh?", he asked, causing Mima to turn to him. "Why are you here? Why do you come here after a century and speak to me?", she sighed.

"Or is it that you just came to look at me... to make fun of me..." As Chôzen Gekido did not reply, she sighed. "You may not know it... but... you are the only person to notice me. Back a century ago, after you said you would not help me... I was angry and tried to let my anger out on the human village... I went there, tried to scare them out of house and home... but they did not even notice me. Couldn't see me... So every revenge is meaningless... I want to be feared, want them to speak my name with caution... but as it is right now, they would just think it is a natural disaster... No one notices me, no one sees me... aside you..."

Chôzen Gekido did not say a thing... something Mima was incredibly thankful for at the moment. The silence... it was refreshing... what she needed... "You know...", she whispered after a while of just staring into the sunset.

"...whenever I watch this... the sun set, the twilight... I cannot understand what I hate at how the existence is... Looking into the sunset... makes me feel comfortable... makes me feel warm... makes me forget every hatred I have... Sometimes I wish I could just extend my hand...", as she spoke, she extended her hand towards the sunset, "...touch it, take it into my hand... and carry it forever with me... to make the burning hatred inside me leave..."

She closed her hand, turned it around, opened her hand... but in her palm lay nothing. "The soothing twilight makes my restless soul feel at peace... should I ever perish... I want to become one with the twilight... want to become one with the evening sun... just look at the world with peace..."

"I see...", replied Chôzen eventually... causing a small smile to appear on Mimas lips. "I cannot understand why you do see me while others can not... But I am happy that you do see me, and nobody else. Maybe I can leave behind this stupid grudge... If I manage to capture the twilight within my hands... With the twilight in my hands... I could finally be at peace..."

"Then I wish you the best of luck, Mima Hakurei.", replied Chôzen, and despite his emotionless gaze and his indifferent voice... Mima couldn't help but smile. "Thank you, Chôzen Gekido. Thank you for just being there."

* * *

><p><em>about 600 years ago, Gensokyo - Forest of Magic<em>

"Alright!", exclaimed Mima, flying high over the forest of magic, Chôzen Gekido merely a few meters away from her. "Lately, more and more people managed to get a glimpse of me... with my power growing, I finally can appear for the mortals!", exclaimed Mima, a cocky grin on her lips.

"But that is not enough! If I truly want to become one with the mortal world again, I will have to master what I recently learned... and you're gonna help me!", she shouted over to Chôzen Gekido. "Lately, I have managed to gather power from the twilight... probably the reason I can be seen again... By becoming more and more one with a natural thing, I, as thing from beyond the grave, can become natural again!", shouted Mima.

"I see...", muttered Chôzen Gekido. "But before, I wish to try my new powers... and I'm gonna do that on you!", she snickered, holding up an orb of twilight energy. "Now that the power of twilight is to my control, I need to know how strong it really is... It took me almost a whole century to create a spell that forces the twilight to my control... to bend like I want...", she chuckled... and then pointed the twilight orb at me.

"Fine.", he replied putting his hands into his pockets, making Mima smirk again. "Alright, here goes!", she shouted lifting her arms, creating a gigantic orb of twilight above her head.

_~ Music: Kirby Super Star Ultra - Marx Soul ~_

Mima threw the orb with a gigantic grin, but Chôzen avoided with a single movement and threw an orb of his own right into the twilight orb... causing it to become nothing. "Don't destroy the land.", he spoke, then charged at Mima.

The evil spirit sighed, then rose her right hand and it started to glow in twilight energy. Chôzen Gekido eventually reached her, tried to attack her in close combat... when she reached back and tried to hit him. "TWILIGHT FIST!", she shouted and moved her fist forwards... but he rose his own fist and blocked her.

Mima chuckled, before her fist suddenly exploded, sending them both flying backwards. Mima stopped right in midair, her ghostly powers allowing her to do so, while Chôzen flipped and landed on a tree, his feet against the trunk.

"GREEN APPARITION!", screamed Chôzen as he pushed himself off, charged at Mima... and halfways, just vanished. Mima blinked and gasped, then turned into all directions, searched the area for him... until she was suddenly hit by a foot into her side.

She hissed, turned around... and merely managed to see how he vanished. With a quick motion, Mima turned around and catched his foot as he reappeared before her. She grinned madly... until a fist hit her in the back. The Chôzen whose leg she was holding suddenly becoming older and older in appearance, before his flesh turned to dust and revealed a green skeleton beneath... that turned into ash as well. A clone. Nothing that a mere clone. A copy.

Knowing that he would attack any second now, Mima quickly pulled her arms in and gathered dark energy within her. "TWILIGHT COFFIN!", she exclaimed. Just in that moment, Chôzen became visible behind her, aimed a kick at her side... as Mima suddenly grabbed him by the ankle, turned her head to look over his shoulder... and snickered evilly, her green eyes turning crimson.

"Did you know... that the twilight energy cannot hurt me? No matter how powerful?", she whispered. Chôzen hissed as he saw black walls appear around the two of them, building a black box around them. "From beyond the grave, I grabbed your ankle and pulled you down into my coffin... where we can be together forevermore...", snickered Mima... as the corners of the cubus suddenly shot yellow lasers at Chôzen.

Finding himself unable to avoid, he growled and began to gather negative energy... and his eyes widened as he felt none around him. "Twilight can envelop and absorb any other kind of energy...", chuckled Mima... as the lasers connected and the whole box blew up.

(1)

* * *

><p>Chôzen landed on his feet, snarling, burns and slashes all over his body from the explosion. He found himself on the ground right beneath where the explosion had been, pushed himself off it and rushed at the evil spirit once more, which turned to him with an evil smirk.<p>

"TWILIGHT SEPERATION.", she exclaimed... before her body suddenly was cut in half, causing Chôzen to stop. The two halves of Mimas body began to change color, one yellow, the other black... and then, turned into orbs.

With a motion almost too quick for the eye, the two orbs shot into heaven... and seconds later, they return, aimed at Chôzen as two bright lasers. He rolled in midair and avoided them like that... and at the point where the lasers crossed, they connected, and slowly became Mima again... what Chôzen used.

"LAST GUIDE!", screamed Chôzen, his body suddenly transforming. His arms ripped apart and revealed two crystal scythes, eight crystal wings broke through his back, two hooks appeared at his feet and a large crystal spike broke through the middle of his chest.

Now transformed, he charged at Mima, who rose an eyebrow in surprise and confusion, then she lifted a hand. "SUNSET FAREWELL.", she growled... causing a gigantic explosion to happen right where Chôzen was. Which satisfied her. "Hm. Not bad. My powers really have grown.", she chuckled, looking down at her clenched fist. "But they could still be a little more powerf..."

Her eyes widened and the world slowed down. Right before her head was a crystal scythe, moving closer, aimed at her neck. In the very last moment, a staff materialised in Mimas hand, blocking the scythe, but the power of it send her flying into the ground, where she impacted with enough force to leave back a crater.

Chôzen did not say a word as he flew there, one of his eight wings shattered, the others with large cracks in them. In the very last second, he had pulled his wings in, which had protected him from the explosion. "Damn it...", hissed the evil spirit as she took into the air again.

"Are you finally done, Mima Hakurei?", asked Chôzen, the same look of boredom as usual on his face. "N-no!", growled Mima. "Fine.", he huffed... the whole crystals on his body shattering, leaving him in his original state. "Then continue.", he spoke.

Mima growled at that, then pulled her arms in. "ROOT OF ALL EVIL!" With this shout, Mima rushed upwards again until she was out of sight... before something quick rushed past Chôzen and hit the ground beneath him.. He looked down at the spot the thing had landed... as a gigantic root shot out of the ground, full with huge thorns.

Feeling one of them impale his right arm, Chôzen growled out in pain... then broke the thorn and pulled it out of his arm, right before a second thing shot past him. He ignored it, knowing that he could avoid them as long as he moved, and ruhsed into the heavens after Mima.

The evil spirit saw him coming... and decided that it was time to use her last attack... something so terrific in power that she had not tried it yet... but against him... "Alright, Chôzen, this is now about life and death... have a taste of THIS!", shouted Mima, lifting her right hand, putting thumb and middle finger together... "THIS. IS. IT.", she screamed, as gigantic black wings extended from her back, covering the sun, putting the whole forest of magic into shadows.

Chôzen stopped right where he was, frozen in his spot... staring beyond Mima as the day became sunset all of sudden, surprising even Mima herself as she noticed it. But there was no turning back anymore.

"Hey, Chôzen! Feast your eyes on this evil spirit who has surpassed the shackles of a mere ghost! The switch has been flipped, too late to turn around now! Gensokyo's final moment of twilight...", shouted the evil spirit as she felt satisfaction slowly rising within her.

"TWILIGHT...", screamed Mima, slowly moving her fingers against each other.

_~ Music: Touhou Soccer 2 - Twilight Spark ~_

"...SPARK!", she screamed, her gigantic black wings of twilight energy charging up with the power of the sunset... and as Mima flicked her fingers, an evil smirk came across her face. _"With him out of the way, nothing stands in my way anymore... That he was stupid enough to fall for this.. that I tried to become his friend... to backstab him in a sparring, to kill him..."_, she thought as the gigantic spark rushed past her, aimed at Chôzen.

His eyes widened and he rose his hands to block the spark... even though he knew that he would not be able to. Or so Mima thought. But she found herself gapping at him, her left eye twitching, as he struggled against the most powerful spark of them all, was holding it in its place...

...until it suddenly backfired at him and enveloped him completely.

It took Mima a few more seconds to realize what just had happened... but then, she grinned her evil smirk again, watched how he got enveloped completely and faded away, his black shape becoming nothing... leaving Mima highly satisfied.

"That should be it. Now... how do I get rid of the world as it is? Maybe by powering up this spark a little more...", she cackled, turned towards the sunset... and hummed happily. Twirled around on the spot... until she noticed something out of the corner of her eyes.

Turning to it... she felt her mouth open and her eyelid twitch. The spark of twilight had vanished... and left back a gigantic crater in the ground, almost a fourth of Gensokyo in size, which was slowly filling with water from the ocean.

"Uhm.. whoops, maybe I overdid it a little. It doesn't seem that I need to power it up more, I just need to go somewhere a little more away and it is all gone.", she laughed, a sweatdrop on her head... as she noticed the small island in the middle of the crater. And she sweatdropped. "This is probably going to be a lake with an island in the middle very soon.", she muttered.

**...and that was how Misty Lake was born...**

_~ Music stop ~_

* * *

><p>With an angry expression, Mima threw the door open that lead into Eientei. "Hey, be quiet, okay? Have some respect for the patients.", growled a rabbit in a buisness suit. "Is it true?", asked Mima with a deadpan. "What is true?", growled the rabbit. "That Chôzen Gekido is here.", growled Mima in return.<p>

"Yes. He was just brought here two nights ago by that immortal of fire.", replied the rabbit. "Where is he?", asked Mima, her left eyelid twitching. _"Is there anything to kill that guy? I just created a lake in Gensokyo, blew almost a fourth of this land into oblivion and he was right in the middle... and he is still there! How am I suppossed to destroy this damn land if he keeps on being there?"_

"Follow me.", sighed the rabbit as she turned to a corridor and to the seventh door on the left side of it. There, she knocked. "Gekido-sama, you have a visitor!", shouted the rabbit. "Let her in.", growled a voice back, causing the rabbit to blink. "Uh... he knows who it is?", muttered the rabbit, but Mima had enough of this, so she pushed the rabbit aside, took a deep breath and opened the door... playing her game again.

With a quick motion, she rushed through the room until she was aside his bed. "I'M SORRY, CHÔ! PLEASE FORGIVE ME! I HAD NO IDEA HOW STRONG THAT THING WAS!", she cried out, forcing fake tears out of her eyes. But Chôzen just looked at her with his emotionless gaze.. and then sighed. "Why is it that even with the perfect balance I cannot have my peace? Yukari Yakumo and you still manage to annoy me...", he growled.

"BUT IT WAS AN ACCIDENT!", sniffed Mima. _"Oh god, if I have to keep this up... I'm gonna throw up!"_ "...tell that to Yukari and Shikieiki Yamaxanadu...", growled Chôzen as he turned away from Mima and pointed to the far wall of the room, where the two mentioned woman sat on chairs... glaring at Mima. Who sweatdropped.

* * *

><p><em>Present, Gensokyo - Garden of the Sun<em>

An evil spirit with green hair flew in front of a window of the Kazami Mansion, Mugenkan. Her gaze was fixed on a graveyard in the distance, an evil grin on her lips. "Oh that Chôzen... Despite all the memories he should have of me... despite everything we went through...", she chuckled, "...how could he forget that hatred is nothing that vanishes? That a grudge is nothing to vanish? An evil spirit will forever hold a grudge... and nothing can change that..."

The door opened behind her, the owner of the mansion stepping into the room. "I prepared breakfast. Do you want some?", asked Yuuka Kazami, a smug grin on her face. "...sure. I'll be there in a minute.", replied Mima, grinning back.

"You're thinking about it... right? Don't worry, everything will go alright. Our friend is suspecting nothing.", spoke Yuuka, causing Mima to grin even wider. "How are the preparations going?", she asked. "Good. If everything keeps going as it is... we are ready in half a year." "That is good... indeed, very good...", chuckled Mima, turning around to face Yuuka.

"...Let's go. After all... there is still a lot to be done...", whispered Mima. "...after all... it shall be an event that Gensokyo shall never forget...", she finished, an evil smirk on her face. And Yuuka smirked back in the same evil way. "...that is true.", replied Yuuka, before she turned around and left the room...but still continued to look at Mima, who followed her.

"...oh Chôzen... how could you forget that I am still evil? That I cannot become nice and friendly? That I tried to kill him over and over again? The evil spirit of twilight with the eternal grudge... will never give up.", whispered Mima... an evil smirk all over her face, her green eyes glowing crimson...

* * *

><p>(1) Remember, this fight happens before the spellcard rules were set up, meaning that attacks are indeed still lethal. As you may have noticed, Mima used "twilight fist" and "twilight coffin", attacks she used against Yuyuko Saigyouji in I-NB, but they were spellcards then, which means she has changed her former attacks to fit the spellcard rules. These attacks and spellcards of Mima are completely made up by me.<p>

* * *

><p><em>So yeah... Mima is evil. Was and still is. All that about being Chôzens friend just a lie... If you read this chapter and count one and one together...<em>

_Yeah. The rest kinda explains itself, I believe. _

_I recently came up with the idea of Mima being still evil, pretending to be nice. Wether or not she's going to do something evil... lays in the future._

_But yeah. The only thing remaining to say is this: __Since no reviews or comments about Lord Tenma followed, there is not going to be a 0-NM update or chapter regarding her... she'll appear maybe, but not as chapter main character. And since any other chapter of 0-NM regarding Chôzens past with a person (and that's what 0-NM is about) can be made at the moment without spoiling anything, next update is only I-NB! Hope that's alright with you._

_So that's it! 0-NM will not gain another chapter with the next update. That being said, I hope you enjoyed this slightly different 0-NM chapter and continue to read NBP! Reviews are as always appreciated! _

_So long!_


	11. 10 Indifferent in the eye of the storm

_**Chôzen Gekido: **__Back!_

_**Flame-Soul:**__ From the!_

_**SorrowfulReincarnation: **__Dead! ...wait, why the hell am I doing this with you? _

_**Flame-Soul:**__ So here we are for another installment of 0-Negative Memory... About time, I have to say! I am all hyped up already! Especially since that fight with old grandma Orochi!_

_**SorrowfulReincarnation: **__Why are you in my room again… and why the hell am I helping you with your stupid shouts?_

_**Chôzen Gekido: **__You're right. Fighting Kanako really pumped me up… fighting Yuugi after that helped me somewhat, but still… Uhm, well, no, no adrenaline in my blood anymore. Yuugi killed it all._

_**Flame-Soul:**__ Quite literally. =3_

_**SorrowfulReincarnation: **__What did you do to me? Why am I shouting out stupid things with you?_

_**Flame-Soul:**__ Well then, let's start the chapter!_

_**SorrowfulReincarnation: **__Are you just taking over my story? Seriously?_

_**Suwako Moriya: **__SorrowfulReincarnation does not own Touhou, Team Shanghai Alice / ZUN does. However, SorrowfulReincarnation does own Chôzen Gekido, the flame-soul and Nanatsu no Taizai, characters he has created._

_**SorrowfulReincarnation: **__What the bloody…? What are you two doing here!_

_**Kanako Yasaka: **__We are here, because such is the humor of the gods!_

_**Suwako Moriya: **__Let's start the chapter, shall we? *kero*_

_**SorrowfulReincarnation: **__Taking over my story and stealing my lines is the humor of gods? A-and don't you dare to cut of my dialouge with the line that begins the cha-!_

* * *

><p><em><strong>Chapter 10: Indifferent in the eye of the storm<strong>_

_About 20 000 years ago, Japan - Lake Suwa, Moriya Shrine_

Finally, I reached the upper end of the flight of stone stairs, leading to a nice shinto shrine next to a lake… Lake Suwa. And this was the Moriya Shrine. The goal I had in mind, the reason I was back in Japan. Just for this shrine. And its goddess.

Suwako Moriya.

After having received the ultimate balance not all too long ago, I had to find myself still unsatisfied... It didn't immediately kick in. Rather, it takes the path a few centuries to finally overcome me completely. While I had archieved it nontheless, the mask of no more future having become one with me... I still could feel them. Emotions. A weakened version of them, but they were still there. Damn them...

But that's not important right now! ...or at least not the most important thing! What really is important is, that I have to find Suwako Moriya... Rumors among Youkai say, that Suwako Moriya, one of the highest goddesses out there, the goddess of the earth itself, wants to teach someone her abilities... but no Youkai dares to ask her to be trained by her. Because they know they are not of enough worth.

I heard from a Youkai that he dared to ask Moriya... and was tested immediately. He lost. Was chased away right afterwards.

I am not like him. I have finished the path of nihilism. I have finished the hardest trial of them all. Convincing Suwako Moriya to train me, to help me get control of my new abilities, will be a piece of a cake. And once I have those abilities, I finally...!

I clenched my hand into a fist, grinned a little self-pleased at it. But a sudden voice ripped me out of my thoughts. A voice of someone I should soon almost hate... It was the voice of a young woman before me.

"Are you Suwako Moriya? If so... I thought you were female, seriously." I flinched and looked up at the woman before me, which examined me a little. An attractive woman, I have to say. Maybe in her early twenties, her blue hair bound into a single ponytail at the back with a thin, red ribbon.

She wore a red dress with a white snake symbol coiling around her waist, as well as simple sandals. Around her right wrist, she wore a bracelet… well, it looked rather like a rope with white paper dangling from it. And finally, she had incredibly beautiful red eyes, carrying power and yet beauty in them.

"No, I am not Suwako Moriya.", I stated matter-of-factly. "Would've surprised me.", grinned the woman, closing her eyes and putting her hands onto her hips. "Do you know where I can find her?", she asked then.

"I am myself searching for her.", I replied, causing her to frown. "That so? Well, then let's go inside. I guess she is in there.", she suggested, pointing at the shrine. I nodded, waited for that woman to turn around, then followed her as she moved to the shrine.

But before we even reached it, the door opened from the inside, revealing a woman to us. This woman was pretty tall, I'd say about 1,85m. She was pretty thin, looked a little fragile… and yet radiated raw power. The power of the earth itself.

She wore a long, purple dress, which stopped just above her ankles, revealed her bare feet to us, only covered by sandals. The dress had several frog motives on them, but that was not the only noticeable thing about it, as it had long, white sleeves attached to it, which hid her hands from our sight.

On top of her head, she wore a light brown wide-brimmed hat, hiding a lot of her messy blonde hair, which reached down to her lower back. She looked pretty attractive, I have to say… even that woman aside me was blushing a little. But the expression which was on the face of the woman that left the shrine… was that of a madman, a taunting smile upon her lips, her grey eyes wide.

This was, without a doubt, one of the highest gods having ever walked on his earth. Suwako Moriya.

"Are you Suwako Moriya?", shouted the bluehaired woman to the woman on the porch of the shrine. "Indeed I am.", replied the blonde woman, not moving away from her spot in front of the open door to the dark inside of the shrine.

"What is your desire? You have come all the way to this shrine, but do not come to give me your faith. Instead, you stand on my holy grounds, shout out my name as if to call me…", she asked, her dangerous eyes resting on me and that other woman.

"I am Kanako Yasaka! I have heard of you searching someone to pass onto your power. That is my desire.", replied the bluehaired woman… causing Suwako to laugh. "Foolish girl! Don't even try to hide your powers! I do know that you are a god as well since the moment your feet touched my holy grounds!", roared Suwako in laughter.

Kanako gasped silently, took a step back, snarling. "But I see you were honest about wanting me to each you the powers I possess.", chuckled Suwako, before her dangerous eyes turned to me. "But what about you… Chôzen Gekido? You have already finished your path, did you not?"

I gasped, took a step back, snarled just like Kanako did. "Oh, don't be surprised. I am very well aware of you having walked the path of nihilism. I can feel the negative aura flowing through your body.. but it is still unexperienced, not to your full command. Is that why you have come here? So I train you, which you hope will help you get control of youir powers?", asked Suwako… then broke into laughter again.

"How foolish of you two…"; chuckled Suwako, before she looked at me and Kanako with her unsettling eyes. "Mishaguji. Dispose of them.", she spoke… before large, white glowing snakes with red eyes came out of the darkness of the shrine, hissing at Kanako and me, while Suwako merely chuckled.. and walked past the white snakes, and vanished in the darkness of the shrine.

* * *

><p>"You've got to be kidding me!", roared Kanako as she jumped over one of the snakes trying to bite her. "Sadly not.", I replied, stopping a snake with my bare hand. Then, I threw it into another one of the snakes, causing them to get knocked out.<p>

Meanwhile, Kanako jumped on top of a snakes head, jumped from there as a second snake tried to swallow her, causing the second snake to bite into the first. Kanako landed on top of the second snakes head, reached back with her right hand... and then smacked her bare palm into the head of the second snake. This simple smack was so powerful that the two snakes were smashed into the ground with their heads, hissing a last time before they lost conciousness as well.

"And here I went all the way here to be trained by her, and instead, she wants to feed me to her pets!", growled Kanako as she landed behind me, pushing her back against mine while we faced the remaining four mishaguji, two before me, and two in front of Kanako.

"I feel the same way.", I huffed, giving that mysterious woman behind me a glance. Kanako and I locked eyes for a second... before we jumped into the air at the same moment that the mishaguji charged at us. "Here we go!", shouted Kanako, as she grabbed me by the wrists, swung me around several times, and then threw me at the Mishaguji that remained.

I hit one and together, we charged towards the ground, causing a gigantic cloud of dust to whirl up as we hit it. Kanako, on the other hand, fights two of the three remaining ones at the same time, using just her bare hands to fight.

As one of them charges at her, Kanako grabs it and smashes its head into the ground, and as it bounces off it, she hits it into the chin, causing it to fall over, while Kanako was already avoiding the second of the mishaguji, jumping against its scaly body, pushing it backwards with her power.

"That was too easy.", chuckled Kanako self-pleased, crossing her arms in front of her body as she observed the seven fallen snakes. "Hm?", the bluehaired godess mutters as she realizes something. "Seven? Weren't there eight...?"

And suddenly, she notices that there is a shadow above her that blocks out the sun. Twirling around, the finds the last mishaguji already charging at her, so she quickly lifts her arms to block it... when something suddenly impacts with the snake, sending it flying as well. "Watch your back.", I huffed.

Suddenly, someone was clapping, causing both me and Kanako to turn back to the shrine. In the open door stood Suwako Moriya once more, an amused expression on her face. "Neat. You defeated the curse gods without a problem.", chuckled Suwako, stepping towards us.

"What is it now?", asked Kanako, raising an eyebrow as the tall goddess, which was almost as tall as me, finally stopped in front of us, grinning at us. "What it is? I was just going to tell you that I will train you. You passed my little test with flying colors.", spoke Suwako. "There we go!", exclaimed Kanako, pumping her fist into the air. "Train you both.", added Suwako, surprising Kanako.

"But didn't the rumors say, you...?" "Yes, originally, I was going to train just one person. But who would've guessed that such a person as Chôzen Gekido himself drops by, deciding that my humble self shall train him.", chuckled Suwako.

I rose an eyebrow, but Suwako merely turned around and walked back towards the shrine. "Since you two have managed to pass my trial, you two shall be trained by me from now on. But beware... the training will be hard and long. If you have something important to do in the next few thousands of years, you should now withdraw... Once we start for real, I will not let you go until you are finished... you understand?"

I shared a glance with that bluehaired goddess named Kanako Yasaka. She seemed to be pretty serious about this, her red eyes glowing with desire... at the same moment, Kanako and I nodded, then turned to the shrine, and rushed past Suwako Moriya.

The goddess of the earth stopped, chuckled a bit... then turned to her familiar, all of them slowly beginning to rise from the ground. "I am sorry for disappointing you, Moriya... we have lost as you had trust in us... we shall be..." "Shut up.", snickered Suwako Moriya, interupting the curse gods. "Everything is fine."; she chuckled. "Now return to the earth until I call you.", she commanded, and the eight snakes vanished in the ground.

Suwako chuckled a last time, before her face distorted into a dark grin of utter satisfaction. "Keikaku doori!" (1)

* * *

><p><em>about 19 900 years ago, Lake Suwa - Moriya Shrine<em>

"Hey...get up.", whispered a voice into my ear. "...hey! Pst! Get up!" I groaned and turned away. "Get up before Grandmaster notices you are still asleep!"

"Oh crap!", I gasped, jumped up and darted through the room, quickly taking my stuff. Kanako quickly threw the uniform across the room... that's right, Grandmaster Moriya has... let's call it, nicely suggested... us to wear a certain kind of... "uniform".

I feel stupid in it. Mainly because it is a miko outift, made for a girl. And I am still a male. ...though I feel a little like a maid working for some rich-ass person when I wear that stupid thing. And, to be honest, sometimes she treats me like a maid. Tells me to get this and that. And hurry, I shall.

...ah, it's a little annoying. But... I... that uniform... it certainly looks... good... on Kanako. "Let's hurry, before Grandmaster thinks we overslept again and we get no breakfast... again." As if on cue, Kanako's stomach started to growl. "I hate it when she punishes us.", moaned the bluehaired goddess.

During the last century, Kanako and I had gotten acquianted pretty fast... not just because we were forced to sleep in one room. ...yeah. Suwako Moriya did that to us. But Kanako and I pretty quick made the arrangement of the room... and set up some rules. Rule 1: No peeking. Rule 2: No touching. Rule 3: Be a pervert and she blasts me to the moon and back. Rule 4: Have one perverted thought of Kanako and she starts a war I'm going to regret.

...what a good thing that I managed to hold onto the rules. At least the first three.

"Now, come on, we don't have time to waste or our breakfast goes down the drain!", hissed Kanako. I nodded, quickly slipped into my miko outift while Kanako turned away from me, then stretched my tired limbs a last time and mentally prepared myself for the day.

Hm? The tired limbs? Oh, yeah, lately, they hurt pretty much... feel numb and exhausted... but at the same time, my control of the negation became better. Grandmaster Moriya believes it is connected... Anyways! No time to waste!

"I'm ready, so let's mo...!" As I walked towards the door and spoke, I extended a hand to lay it on Kanako's shoulder... when I slipped on my futon and stumbled into her, bringing us both down to the ground... me laying on top of her, our faces barely five centimeters away from each other... We were laying on Kanako's futon...

...and to make it worse, the door opened.

"Are you two still asle..."

Silence. Awkward silence. I stared into Kanako's eyes... and she stared into mine. And then, in perfect synchro, we turned to the door, where Suwako Moriya, our Grandmaster, stood, looking at us with a shocked expression, her mouth agape, her eyes small... and a blush on her face.

"I... I am sorry if I interupted something!" **BAM!** And gone was she. Left me and Kanako laying on that futon... until we darted away from each other, panting. "I... I didn't try anything! Don't blast me to the moon! I slipped!", I gasped, raising my hands in defense.

Kanako merely looked at me, no emotion at all displaying on her face as she opened her mouth, a deep blush still present on her face. "J-just let's forget it. We should rather go now... breakfast will be ready.", muttered Kanako, before she hastily left the room... leaving me back to blush worser than ever.

* * *

><p>As I finally entered the main room, I sweatdropped. Grandmaster Moriya sat by the table, a huge grin over her face. Kanako sat by the table as well, stared just as confused as I was, at the rather large selection of food... rather than the usual, rather spare breakfast.<p>

"Ah! Chôzen! Sit down! Sit down!", exclaimed Grandmaster Moriya, excited over something.. which is never a good sign. I sweatdropped heavier, but did as told, sat down by the table next to Kanako, who was still blushing. "Ah, isn't it just nice when we are together like this? Come on, eat! Eat!", grinned Suwako, sipping on her green tea.

I slowly leaned over to Kanako. "Just what is wrong with her? You think she lost her mind after... thinking we were going to do... You know.", I muttered into the bluehaired goddess ear. "But no! I just realized that I had been blind before... So enjoy your lovers meal!", exclaimed Suwako.

"LOVERS MEAL?", Kanako and I shouted in synchro. "Just what is wrong with you, you sick frog!", I exclaimed as I stood next to the table, holding my fist towards the grandmaster. "Aw, how cute, you two are denying it now.", laughed Suwako... before she made a roll backwards, avoiding my fist.

"Lovers! Lovers! Kanako and Chôzen are lovers!", sung the goddess of the earth as she ran down the corridor with her arms stretched into the air, me chasing after her, ever so often trying to hit her. Meanwhile, Kanako sat by the table, sitting perfectly still, not moving at all, her head as red as the dress she wore usually when she did not have to wear her miko outfit.

Suddenly, I and Suwako chased by, but Kanako still did not move. "You annoying frog!", I shouted, almost catching up to Suwako, but she came to a sliding stop and ducked, causing me to rush past her, and as I turned around, she was vanishing in a door.

Again, Suwako and I chased past Kanako, who still did not move.

"Grandmaster Moriya! I am incredibly shocked! How can you assume something like that?", I growled, but Suwako just turned her head around, pulled her lower eyelid down and stuck her tounge out. I growled, closed my eyes and balled a fist, trying my best at keeping my anger down... which caused a vein on my forehead to swill.

Again, Suwako and I rushed past Kanako, this time, however, walking on the ceiling. Kanako did not move.

"Stop running away! I am just going to cut your throat open!", I snarled. "You somehow remind me of that flower-loving youkai that lives at the foot of the nearby mountain!", laughed Suwako. The goddess then opened a door and rushed into the room. As I entered it, Suwako jumped into a chest... and as I looked inside, Suwako was not in there.

* * *

><p>Kanako flinched as she felt something move beneath the table... and especially her dress. "Hm? I wonder where the magic chest has sent me... I didn't use it in a long time...It should teleport me to somewhere in the shrine... but where am I? ...w-wait! A-are those legs?"<p>

Slowly, Kanako pulled her dress up... and revealed Suwako under the table, staring uneasily at her... And Suwako had a nosebleed for some reason... "Uh... it's not what it looks like?"  
><strong><br>"YOU PERVERTS!"**

* * *

><p>I took a deep breath as I was outside the shrine (in my own clothes) and turned around, looked at it... and sweatdropped as the whole shrine shook, lifted off the ground, turned around in midair... and landed on the roof. "What the hell?", I muttered uneasily. <em><strong>"How about we leave quickly and visit that flower-youkai Grandmaster spoke about? I guess she's in that sunflower field nearby."<strong>_ I turned to the split part of my soul... and then nodded. "Sounds good to me. Otherwise, I may be forced to fix the shrine... and that does not look easy at all.", I chuckled uneasily... and then turned to the sunflower field.

* * *

><p>"You really think Grandmaster spoke the truth?", I asked my flame-soul. It was a funny thing... though my flame-soul is an independent being, acts different than me... I felt like we've been always together, were no strangers to each other... well, we were not exactly, and yet we were.<p>

"_**It's Grandmaster we're talking about. She lies half of the time... on purpose. Juuuuust to annoy us."**_ I let out a huff of agreement, scratched my neck and looked around. I stood on a path in the middle of the sunflower field, observed my surroundings closely.

"Well, at least she was right about this one, it seems. This amount of flowers does not grow without a third party causing it to...", I muttered. "It sure does. But it is a pretty sight, isn't it?", chuckled a voice behind me, causing me to flinch shortly.

As I turned around, I stood before a beautiful woman with long, wavy green hair down to her lower back and red eyes. Onto her shoulder leaned a pink parasol and she wore red plaid pants and a waistcoat of the same color and pattern over a plain white shirt.

"It is. Are you the flower Youkai said to reside here?", I asked. "Why, yes I am. What is it to you, hm?", the youkai chuckled, twirling her parasol a little... her eyes glowing a dangerous red. "I was just aiming to know my neighbours.", I chuckled in return. "Ah ah, don't expect me to like you, mister youkai.", chuckled the greenhaired youkai.

"I never said I was aiming for you to like me.", I replied with a shrug. The greenhaired youkai nodded. "Very reasonable of you.", she commented, before she turned around, back to the path leading into the field.

"Well, care to join me for a tea?", she asked, glancing over her shoulder. "I thought you didn't like me?", I asked, raising an eyebrow. "I merely said you should not expect me to like you.", she giggled, twirling her parasol. "I like you, so would you care for a tea?", asked the greenhaired youkai... causing me to chuckle. "Ah, why not.", I replied with a shrug, then followed her into the sunflower field.

* * *

><p>It was merely a short moment later that the flower youkai and I sat on the porch of a wooden cottage She had brewed a fresh tea for us... it tastes and smells a lot better than that of Grandmaster Moriya... and a lot better than the tea Grandmaster forces me or Kanako to brew ever so often...<p>

"I haven't had guests in quite some time.", chuckles the flower youkai over the brim of her cup of tea. "Suprises me. This place is actually quite nice.", I replied. "So, would you want to stay the rest of your life here?", asked the flower youkai, causing me to chuckle. "Are you a succubus or a flower youkai? ...fufu... trying to lure me into staying here forever..."

The flower youkai chuckled as well. "You're getting it wrong. I was merely asking for your opinion on this place.", she replied. "Like I said, it is quite a nice place. Good weather, a soft breeze in my face, the sight incredible... and some good company as well. Just what one needs to relax.", I answered.

"You know how to charm a lady, mister Youkai.", she giggled. "You think?", I chuckled, glancing over the table at her. "Hm. A little.", she admitted, taking a sip of her tea.

"You are living with that goddess nearby, huh? I have seen you train before.", spoke the flower youkai, still a nasty grin on her face. So she's a little sadistic, huh?

"Yes. I train under Grandmaster Moriya along with Kanako Yasaka.", I explained, to which the flower youkai nodded. "There was a loud commotion at the shrine just a while ago." I almost spit my tea across the porch, but fearing that the flower youkai was indeed a sadist, I rather kept the tea in my mouth.

":..yeah... I... I don't wanna talk about it.", I chuckled uneasily. "I see.", giggled the flower youkai, flashed me a knowing smile. And I just continued to chuckle uneasily.

"Well then. It sure has been fun, but it is getting late.", spoke the flower youkai, rising from her chair. I rose an eyebrow and turned to look at the blue sky. "But it is only shortly after midd..." I stopped as I heard a sound, energy being absorbed and gathered.

Turning my head around, I found the flower youkai standing in the door to the cottage, her parasol leaned onto her shoulder... pointing at me, energy gathering at the tip. "Uhm... you're right. I should return. Grandmaster Moriya might need my help.", I gasp quickly. "How noble of you!", chuckled the flower-youkai, glancing over her shoulder.

"Come visit me soon, mister Youkai.", smirked the flower-youkai and as I took my leave, repeatedly shouting "Yes I will! Until then!", she walked into her cottage and closed the door behind me... And I fell over anime-style as soon as the door was closed and let out a loud sigh of relief.

...though that flower youkai is creepy and sadistic, she is way cute. In her own way.

* * *

><p>Eventually, I reached the Moriya Shrine, which was by now fixed. I chuckled silently to myself. Though I had left the sunflower field around midday, it was now late in the evening... On purpose, I had spent time just strolling through the area, ocassionally resting due to my tired limbs... or to try my negation abilties. Sadly, they still refuse to really listen to me.<p>

Anyways, might as well tease Kanako... she's around the corner. I guess, at least, since I hear noises of someone fixing the shrine with a hammer and nails. And since I enjoy teasing her... hm, yeah, might as well. The mere thought of teasing Kanako causes me to chuckle... well, I am not better than the flower-youkai at all... but hey, who cares?

"Oh, Kanakooooo~!", I sung, approaching the corner. "...how is my favourite goddess doing so far?", I continued to sing as I rounded the corner... and froze up as there stood no Kanako... but Suwako. Grandmaster Moriya. Fixing the wall. But no longer... rather looking flabbergasted at me. "Uh... I was just... joking... Kanako and I... don't..."

"Lovers! Lovers! Kanako and Chôzen are lovers!" "GET BACK HERE, YOU ANNOYING FROG!"

Kanako Yasaka, sitting cross-legged on the roof of the shrine and formerly having observed her grandmasters work after forcing her to do it, let out a deep sigh, pinching the bridge of her nose with her right hand, while she had her left hand wrapped around her waist.

"A perverted old woman and a short-tempered room-mate. Can this get even better?" _**"Depends on if you'd like some company, toots."**_ Kanako growled, clenched her fist until a vein became visible on it... and then tried to hit the flame hovering aside her. "You annoying little flame! You're just as perverted as Grandmaster!", snarled Kanako.

_**"Playing hard to get, huh? I like that."**_ And that was enough for Kanako. In her anger, she summoned her divine powers, which were limited due to her being a young and still unexperienced goddess and yet incredible in physical strength, and tried to punch the flame... but it avoided, and Kanako's punch hit the roof instead... and caused the roof to break into the shrine... before the shrine fell apart.

I stopped chasing Grandmaster Moriya, turned to the shrine... and with the same dumb expression, our mouths open and our eyes hidden in shadows, we stared at the leveled shrine...

* * *

><p><em>About 19 700 years ago, Lake Suwa - Moriya Shrine<em>

"I go and set the table for breakfast.", he said without any emotion before he left the room they shared... left Kanako back in the room all alone. All alone with her hatred.

During the last two centuries, things had changed dramatically. While it had been all fun and game in the first century... it should change. Several things changed. Chôzen himself slowly became different... indifferent. Was less laughing, less smiling. Did not complain about things. The nihilism had finally laid fully upon him. And Kanako was not sure if she should be happy for him... or hate him for that.

Also, their training had become more intensive... what had once been just cleaning turned into lifting rocks, concentrating magic, listening to the nature... and eventually, fighting each other. What had once been a strange friendship in between Kanako and Chôzen had turned into a one-sided hatred. Kanako hated Chôzen. And he did no longer care about her. Not like a friend. Not like an acquaintance. He was just there, as was she. But they lived two different lives.

And then there was what truly made Kanako hate him... the jealousy. The envy. Suwako Moriya, their Grandmaster, was training them both... but it stayed not unnoticed by Kanako that Grandmaster Moriya prefered to teach Chôzen. She was just the sandbag. Just there for Chôzen to get stronger.

But Kanako had enough of this. Was sick of being just a sandbag... but the way it was now, she would not be able to overcome her friend-turned rival. She was not dumb. She knew she was not at full power yet. She was a young goddess... it would take a long time until she would reach her full power... she was not old, unlike Chôzen Gekido, merely his exalted existence giving him powers...

But she had enough of this. And soon, she would defeat him... but before, there was breakfast. And Grandmaster Moriya was anything but pleased when one of her students arrived to late for it.

* * *

><p><em>About 19 500 years ago, Lake Suwa - Moriya Shrine<em>

"EEEP!", shrieked Kanako as Chôzen grabbed her by the waist and lifted her up, only to throw her into a nearby wall of the sanctum they were training in. But Kanako turned in midair and caught herself, her feet against the wall.

"Don't let her recover, Chôzen!", shouted Grandmaster Moriya. The nihilist did not react, but Kanako let out an angry snarl, pushed herself off the wall and charged at him. "She's going to kick you! Watch out!", shouted Grandmaster Moriya again, making Kanako snarl even more. She had more than enough of this!

Her feint worked, Chôzen covered his side and thus was unable to block her kick to his head, but even as he crashed into the next wall, he simply walked out of it, seemingly completely unaffected. And this caused the blood in Kanakos veins to boil.

She threw herself at him again, but he sidestepped, grabbed her by the waist with merely his left arm, then swung her around and threw her through the room, eventually causing her to land flat on her face while sliding over the ground, her rump into the air and her panties revealed. Kanako didn't get up from that throw.

"And with that, Chôzen wins again!", laughed Suwako Moriya. "Great job, Chôzen! You're really making progress... and...", Suwako turned to Kanako, "...even though you have exceeding physical strength, Yasaka, you rely onto it too much. You still have a long way to go...", sighed the Grandmaster.

The goddess of wind and rain remained on the ground as Suwako turned to the door. "I'll be preparing lunch. Please rest until then, you two. After dinner, you two will repair the damages you have caused... as usual."

And with that, Suwako Moriya had left the room... to which Kanako rose from the ground. Desperate. To end it right there and then.

She stood in front of Chôzen again... then summoned all the divine powers she had into her. She lifted off the ground right then and there, sitting cross-legged in midair, her arms crossed in front of her body.

"You heard that we should stop and rest.", 'asked' Chôzen, staring at her. "Oh, I heard enough.", growled Kanako, trying to keep calm and collected, not getting the insanity overpower her. That would be a terrible fault, to fight just because your senses say so, without any mind at all... But she had decided. It was time to attempt to kill him. Get rid of him.

"I see...", muttered Chôzen... before Kanako charged at him, her right hand turning into a snake. Chôzen jumped out of the way, causing Kanako to break into the wall, but the raging goddess merely turned around and continued her charge.

The nihilist danced around the young goddess next strike, then caught her by the back of her collar and threw her back into the middle of the room, just aside the basin. "Rage won't get you anywhere.", spoke Chôzen, cracking his knuckles and rolling his neck. "It is why you always lose. For some reason, you fight with hatred against me.", he added. "My hatred will make you kiss the ground before me in a second...", growled Kanako, her left eyelid twitching madly.

Chôzen rose an eyebrow. "I bow do no one, and no one bows to me. I've been saying that often enough, didn't I?", he asked, little emotion in his voice. "Screw you and your stupid quote!", shouted Kanako, using her divine powers to create a onabashira, a faith pillar, before her. It was only one though, about twice her body height, barely fitting into the large sanctum... Kanako knew she had to train longer to summon more of those.

But that was not of importance. It was time to squish the nasty bug of a nihilist. So she swung the faith pillar with both hands, the pillar grinding against the ceiling before it impacted on the ground where Chôzen had stood, but the nihilist had by now jumped aside, landed on the ground near a wall.

In her blind fury, Kanako yanked the pillar around, re-directed it to hit Chôzen. But again, the nihilist jumped away, causing the large faith pillar to rip through the wall. Chôzen landed behind Kanako, but did not even think of attacking her. It made no difference to him wether he attacked or not.

The furious goddess turned around, caused the faith pillar to break through more wood, before it hit Chôzen in the side. It threw him through the room, but he landed in a crouching position against the wall, pushed himself off and rushed at the goddess of wind and rain.

Before Kanako could even react, he was already before her in midair, his fingers against her forehead... and a second later, she felt as if everything was sucked out of her, every emotion becoming nothing... for a second, all senses stopped, everything became black, the same... cold...

...before it all returned all of sudden, forcing her onto all fours before him. "I could have negated you divinity, Kanako.", spoke Chôzen. _"NO!"_, though the goddess in anger, panting... before she almost threw up, her stomach and her body feeling everything but well.

_"I swore to kill him.. right here... right now."_ "Alright...", sighed Kanako, pushing away the feeling of sickness, looking up at the male who had been once a close friend. "...I admit defeat." He nodded, then extended a hand to her to help her up. Kanako rolled her eyes, then accepted his hand... and while he pulled her up, she reached inside her miko outfits pocket, and pulled it.

Chôzen let out a hiss as Kanako fell against him, but not in surprise, but pain. He looked down, a hand on his chest as Kanako moved backwards, grinning. "Sadly, I cannot lose.", she snickered, smirking at the bloody knife she held in her hand.

"I just cut your lungs open. If you don't die of asphyxiation in the next minutes, you will die of bloodloss...", chuckled Kanako, snickering at Chôzen... when he suddenly returned to stand like nothing had ever been, aside his miko outfit being cut open at the front, and a red stain at the front, right where Kanako had stabbed him.

"W-what?", muttered Kanako, her eyes wide. Chôzen tilted his head to the right, then sighed. "I do not need to breathe. I can live as long as I have negative energy around me. And the one you give off is strong enough to keep me alive for centuries. Asides that, I am an exalted youkai... I heal too quick to die on such a small wound... you should know that, as it is the same with you. You wouldn't die of such a thing as well.", he explained.

It was then that the door suddenly crashed open and Grandmaster Moriya stood in the door, a tray in her hands and a big grin across her face... but as she opened her eyes, the tray fell to the ground and the everything atop it was spilled.

Grandmaster Moriyas mouth was wide open, her eyes hidden in shadows. But nontheless, the two students knew that her right eyelid was twitching, cause they saw the muscle move rapidly.

The two had practically the same expression, but not of shock, but because of fear... around them, the sanctum, was a ruin. The walls and the ceiling having large holes in it due to Kanako's faith pillar.

"We're so screwed...", muttered the usually indifferent male.

* * *

><p><em>About 19 100 years ago, Lake Suwa - Moriya Shrine<em>

"And so, the day has come.", sighed Suwako with a big grin, standing by the door leading outside. Chôzen Gekido rose an eyebrow, then nodded. "Indeed it has. Thank you for everything, Grandmaster Moriya.", he replied, before he put a hand onto the sliding door, and slid it open.

Kanako sat by the small table in the middle of the room, looking at his back with anger and hatred that was almost five times the hatred she had felt four centuries ago. And today, she felt torn in between plain anger and sheer happiness.

Anger, because he would leave without her being able to beat him... and happiness, because she was now alone with Grandmaster Moriya.

"You increased by far, young tadpole. In less than a thousand years, you have grown to a full frog... and a powerful one indeed.", grinned Suwako, giving Chôzen a thumbs up. "Thank you, Grandmaster Moriya. I shall not forget my time here.", he replied. And then, turned to Kanako.

"Continue your training, Kanako Yasaka. I expect great things of you.", he spoke, before he turned to the outside, and began leaving the shrine. But he stopped a last time. "Thank you for everything, Grandmaster Moriya... and thank you, Kanako." And then, he began to walk again... walk towards the shrines gate... through it... towards the sunset.

Kanako looked after him... and felt the anger inside her well up. "H-how dare he...!", she growled under her breath, unconciously clenching her fist until the cup in it began to make cracking sounds. "Ah well... it has been a lot of fun.", sighed Suwako, grinning madly. Then, she closed the door, and turned to Kanako. "You really should look up to him, Kanako... follow his example. ...you know, he sure could be like some older brother you could look up to.", chuckled the Grandmaster, causing Kanako to flinch madly.

Suddenly, Grandmaster Moriya yawned. "Ah well... We will continue your training... from here in a week. I need some rest."

Kanako stared wide-eyed at Grandmaster Moriya... her gaze following the superior goddess as she walked deeper into the shrine... and then, her hand clenched into a fist... the cup shattering into thousands of shards. Shards as sharp as her hatred...

* * *

><p><em>15 500 years ago, above Lake Suwa<em>

"Do you finally give up, Moriya?" Kanako Yasaka's shout hollered across the land, Suwako Moriya sitting on top of a gigantic leaf she had summoned. She looked worse. Her hat lay aside her on the leaf, her clothes torn and several wounds on her body.

"A battle that raged for two thousand centuries... not one second to breathe...Suwako Moriya, finally give up and let me overtake your shrine. You have lost everything... to me, the one you looked down at, the student you always ignored...", growled Kanako.

Suwako hissed another time, rose up and summoned her Moriya Iron Rings... but as she stood with the rings in each hand, a sharp pain went through her body. And with loud noises, the iron rings fell onto each other, before Suwako fell onto her knees... then onto all fours...

As she panted, she looked down at her body... it was slowly dissolving into colorful particel. She found it hard to breath as she watched herself pass away... the cold lay a hand onto her... so all she could do was to stare up at Kanako... and though she was fading away... a smile crept its way onto her lips.

"Kanako... you... fool! ...in the end, I was right... it was not Chôzen who I was always proud of... I was proud... because of you.", chuckled Suwako, a warm smile on her face.

"W-what?", gasped Kanako, standing before the superior goddess, staring down at her. "Chôzen is Chôzen. I didn't really do a thing, his powers came to him with the time... It was more like he chose to train under me so he could kill time... kill the time until his powers were fully unlocked. But you..." Suwako began to cough into her almost translucent hand.

"...you... you have increased by so many times... You've become strong enough to... defeat even me... That is... what a mentor can be truly proud of.", chuckled Suwako, extending a hand to Kanako... which turned into colorful particel, which were blown away by the wind...

...Leaving Kanako to stand there with wide eyes, tears in the corners of them.

* * *

><p>Kanako sat on the porch of the Moriya shrine next to the donation box, a familiar hat danling from her right hand. A few days had passed since Suwako Moriya's loss. The inhabitants of the land Suwako Moriya had ruled over had acknowledged the new goddess pretty quickly... especially because of Kanako's promises to make life easier.<p>

But at the moment, that seemed impossible to her. How could she make other lives easier, if her own wasn't easy? Yes, it was true... she now had faith. Lots of it. She ruled above a kingdom. Was the goddess... but she didn't feel like it. Guilt was nagging on her. Guilt of having killed the only person she was attached to... Suwako Moriya.

Each day, she sat on the porch of the shrine, watched humans that came to give their faith to her and asked her silly requests... and when they were gone, at night, Kanako would just sit there... and pray that Suwako Moriya was with her again... just like now.

"A yen for ya thoughts, young tadpole?", asked a voice. Kanako sighed, glared at the small childs aside her. "Leave me alone, Suw...", Kanako froze up, slowly turned her head to the small Suwako-lookalike. "Heya, thanks for the faith! Here I am again!", grinned the small Suwako...

...before she suddenly found herself in Kanako's bone-crushing hug, the younger goddess crying into her small shoulder.

* * *

><p><em>Present, Gensokyo - Moriya Shrine<em>

Kanako and Suwako stood on the top of Youkai Mountain, right underneath the shinto gate, and stared after Chôzen Gekido and Nanatsu no Taizai as they flew down the mountain.

"He has changed a lot, hasn't he?", asked Suwako. "Indeed he has, Suwa.", murmured Kanako. "I don't like it. He is depressed... very depressed...", muttered the goddess of the earth. "Indeed he is... and I wish I could do a thing for him... but sadly, I just can't...", muttered Kanako. "I know what you mean... but his problem goes even beyond that what we gods can do...", sighed Suwako, before she turned to the shrine.

"Let's go inside.", suggested Suwako, and Kanako nodded. "Yes... standing her won't help him either.", she sighed, before she turned to a young, blonde-haired girl which had stood in between them. "Let's go inside.", she spoke with a smile, took the childs hand... and walked towards the shrine, a sad smile on her face. "I am sorry, Chôzen Gekido."

* * *

><p>(1) "Keikaku Doori" means literally "Just as Planned". This meme involves a character planning something in secret, and once it happens, the character is shown with Light Yagami's face from "Death Note". A variation of this meme is "Just as Flanned"... which is basically just Flandre with that meme.<p>

_The Suwako of this chapter is based on different mangas, doujin and pictures I have seen about her original appearance. And yes, I moved the great suwa war in order to fit with the story. Originally, it was 2300 years before Mountain of Faith._

_Who's that girl, you might wonder... well, I am not going to tell, sorry! She won't appear for a long while (she won't appear in 0-NM at all from now on, and maybe towards the end of I-NB), but please remember her._

_Yeah. Hope it turned out well... and I see you next update!_

_So long!_


	12. 10,5 Mountain left behind

_**Chapter 10.5 **__**–**__** Mountain left behind, memories left behind**_

"ah well….", I sighed, scratching the back of my neck, "…I admit defeat. You crushed me…" Yuugi let out a loud roar of laughter, sitting on the ground next to the entrance to the former hell. "…you crushed my fighting spirit…", I muttered, dark clouds whirling around my head. "Uhm, calm down, will ya?", gasped Yuugi shaking her hands in defense. "You're almost as worse as Parsee!"

I let out a deep sigh, then turned to look at the starry sky above me… it was a clear night, and somehow, since the first time in a long while, I felt at ease. Peace. With both the world., as well as with myself. …but it was not time to do so. Guilt is a necessary thing to exist, it makes us who we are. And thus, I cannot abandon it…

…not again.

"It is getting late.", I spoke as I rose from the ground, turning my gaze to the direction I knew my house to be in. "Indeed it is. Parsee is probably jealous of you already because I didn't return to her once our fight had ended.", chuckled Yuugi ,rising from the ground herself.

"And Nanatsu will be annoyed if I keep her waiting any longer.", I sighed. "Then thank you for the fight, and come visiting me soon again.", chuckled Yuugi, holding her fist towards me. I smirked, then hit my fist against hers. "Sure thing.", I replied, and the ex-deva smirked all across her face. "Good."

And with that, we parted.

* * *

><p>I landed in front of my house in the forest of magic, stretching my tired, hurting limbs… Yuugi sure hit me hard. Seriously. <em>"<em>_Yuugi…"_, I thought, turning back towards the mountain on the horizon. _"__Kanako… Grandma…_" I flinched at my thoughts and quickly corrected myself. _ „Suwako, I mean."_I shuddered a little. Suwako would find out if I even thought of her as "Grandmaster" again… She will.

Pushing those thoughts aside, I looked once more at the mountain. Though it was unfamiliar to me, my first visit just having come to an end… It was ironic that I did not know the mountain, but Suwako… and Kanako… People from my past… The past sure does not want to be left behind… it will not allow itself to be forgotten.

It haunts me even now… things from twenty thousand years ago keep on returning… repeating themselves before my inner eye… before the dream of the past becomes reality, becomes the hard reality that I wanted to abandon… tried to abandon. It was not allowing itself to become forgotten, become a memory sealed away.

Suwako Moriya, former Grandmaster of mine. Kanako Yasaka, once a love interest, a friend, a rival, a foe. Lord Tenma… just an acquaintance. They are so different, and yet are all the same… my past. And my present. And possibly my future. If there is such a thing for me.

Rumia's leave has only opened my eyes for the hard truth: My past will return with every breath… it surrounds me more than I believed at first. Which is the irony. When I woke up in front of the Hakurei Shrine, I believed myself to be one of a kind, nothing left of who I was before, my memories merely a dream I wished to archieve.

Now, I regret ever wanting them back. Ever following the trail of them to become who I was before, to become whole again. Because I merely achieved the opposite, my memories leading to more nothingness, more loss of myself. Because I was a nobody from the very beginning.

* * *

><p>"Hey hot-stuff.", greeted Nanatsu me as I entered the living room. She lay on the couch on her back, reading a book. "Hi Nana."; I greeted back, falling onto the armchair aside her. "Where have you been?", she asked me, and I sighed. "Been there, done that.", I chuckled, sending a grin her way… but as I saw the unpleasant glare she gave me, I chuckled uneasily. "Sparring with an oni.", I explained under my breath, and she nodded.<p>

It remained silent for a while, Nanatsu had returned to her book and I was just lying in the armchair, staring at the ceiling, thinking nothing at all… before a thought suddenly appeared in my head.

"Hey… Nanatsu….", I began, turning to her, "…can we finally talk all of this over? I have enough of isolating myself, letting it eat me up from inside." Nanatsu gave me a glance of surprise… before she put her book down and sat up. "Finally.", she sighed, a warm smile on her face.

I nodded. "Yeah. Finally.", I chuckled, sitting up as well.

* * *

><p>"…so if I got this right… Kanako Yasaka was once a close friend of yours?", asked Nanatsu after I had told her of the past that connected me to Suwako and Kanako. "Yeah… More or less.", I sighed. "And she was jealous of how Suwako Moriya avoided her." I nodded. "I see…", muttered Nanatsu, gaining a thoughtful expression.<p>

"Thank you, Nanatsu."

This surprised the shinigami of seven sins, she looked at me in confusion. "What for?", she asked. "For many things.", I chuckled. "For once… for helping me fighting Kanako… I don't think I would've managed to defeat her alone. She has become powerful.", I grinned, scratching theback of my neck.

"I see…", murmured Nanatsu. "…but most of all… thank you for forgiving me. It means a lot to me.", I sighed. And at that, Nanatsu just rose an eyebrow. "Forgiving you? What have you done to me in the first place?", she asked.

"…Thousand years ago… I destroyed your life. And yet… yet you came back to me, and sit now before me. Live with me. Love me. … I don't know I were able to do that in your place.", I sighed. "You sure are depressed, huh?", chuckled Nanatsu, before she suddenly gasped. "I.. I am sorry! I shouldn't make jokes about such things!"

I just waved it off, however. "You are right… I am depressed. I admit that. I've been nothing but annoying for you lately, a lot of work…", I sighed. "That's not…!" "That is true, and you know that, Nanatsu. Don't try to fool yourself!", I interfered, causing her to sigh and lower her gaze. "Yeah…. You're right."

"I try my best at being less work from now on. I think I am finally over… Rumia.", I hesitated before I said her name, though I smiled constantly. "She really fit with us, you know?", I chuckled… and Nanatsu nodded, much to my surprise. "Yeah… Looking back now, I am really sorry. I never intended it to come this far…", muttered Nanatsu.

"I know, Nana… I know…", I sighed. "I… didn't want her to leave. Didn't want her to commit suicide… It's all my fault, it is…" "Stop." Nanatsu stopped, tears in the corners of her eyes. "If it is anyone's fault, then it is mine.", I sighed, before I stood up.

"So please, let us just rest her in peace. She does deserve peace. Eternal rest.", I spoke, before I turned to the door. "Let's go to bed, Nanatsu. It has been really exhausting lately…", I suggested… and Nanatsu rose from her seat, her book long forgotten.

"Maybe it is really better that way…", she muttered, and I nodded. "It is, believe me. Let us just… let the past rest… eventually, when the time arises, it will return either way.", I spoke… before I left the room, Nanatsu behind me. "That is true… that is sadly so true…", she whispered.

_**"Mountain left behind.. memories left behind...**_

_**It is time to look forwards, and not back..."**_

**_"...because I bow to no one, and no one bows to me..."_**

* * *

><p><em>And so ends the second part of 0-Negative Memory.<em>

_And that's it for this update! I hope you enjoyed this chapter ,and I see you next update!_

_So long!_


	13. 11,1 A green flash in the darkness

_**SorrowfulReincarnation:** And so, we see the past once more! Welcome back!_

_**Flame-Soul:** And welcome, new readers... uhm... but you know, in case this is the first chapter you read of "Negative Bullet Project"... you're pretty much at the wrong end. Cause, ya know, this chapter spoils a lot._

_**Chôzen: **Not more than usual. It's a 0-NM chapter, after all._

_**Flame-Soul:** It sure is._

_**Chôzen:** So... I wonder who it is about this time?_

_**Flame-Soul: **And I wonder what's for dinner...? I could eat an..._

_**SorrowfulReincarnation:** To stop him from using all those references again.. As usual, Chôzen, this chapter is about you._

_**Chôzen:** *sweatdrops* I meant... who it is about aside me. You know... like, who I met._

_**SorrowfulReincarnation:** *smiles malicious* I'm not gonna tell. All I am going to say is, that this chapter is the counterpart to the I-NB chapter that came with this update... a crimson flash in the darkness._

_**Chôzen: **...I see. Then please let's not wait any longer... I need to finally remember it. Please._

_**Flame-Soul & SorrowfulReincarnation: **Sure thing!_

_**Small Rumia: **Is that so~? SorrowfulReincarnation does not own Touhou, Team Shanghai Alice / ZUN does. However, SorrowfulReincarnation does own Chôzen Gekido, the flame-soul and Nanatsu no Taizai, characters he has created._

_**Flame-Soul, Chôzen & SorrowfulReincarnation: **RUMIA?_

_**Small Rumia:** ...is that so~? *smiles in a cute way*_

_**Chôzen & SorrowfulReincarnation:** *nosebleed, faint*_

_**Flame-Soul:** Man... how I wish I could nosebleed right now... *faints*_

_**Small Rumia:** ...is that so~? *continues to smile*_

*Klaxons blare*

Please I - Negative Bullet up to Chapter 59 to understand this chapter fully!

*Klaxons blare*

* * *

><p><em><strong>Chapter 11: A green flash in the darkness ~ The dark beast of bloodlust<strong>_

_600 years ago, Gensokyo – Cliff near the bamboo forest of the lost_

It was a stormy evening as I looked into the descending sun. The wind had picked up long ago… the clouds unnaturally crimson. And yet… the descending sun, the twilight… looked as beautiful as ever. Something totally unaffected by light and darkness… As it was both of them. Both light and darkness, engaging in a beautiful romance… perfect romance.

…something bad was going to happen.

And I should only be proved right when she appeared aside me with a serious expression. Yukari Yakumo.

"Chôzen.", she greeted, nodding towards me. I turned my gaze to her, rose an eyebrow… Damn those emotions for being back around her. But well, I guess it can't be helped. "Yakumo… Yukari.", I muttered. "Didn't I tell you to call me just Yukari? And please, if you insist on using my surname as well, please call me Yukari Yakumo.. we met in the western world, after all, so let us behave like that.", she huffed.

But as I just continued to look at her, she let out a loud sigh. "Well, aren't you a pretty direct one? Fine, down to buisness…", she murmured, sitting down on a gap of hers. "I am here to inform you of a dangerous individual… a youkai that has already slaughtered thousands in the outside world… It has found it's way into Gensokyo six centuries ago… but until now, it has kept pretty hidden."

"I don't see what this has to do with me…", I muttered, turning back to the horizon… the sunset. "I need your help." I turned back to Yukari. "Excuse me?", I asked… though my voice remained the same as always. Did not raise. The nihilism had laid upon me again after Nanatsu no Taizai and I had seperated.

"I need your help. I don't think one exalted Youkai is enough to defeat this dangerous individual… because it is a exalted youkai itself. And to make it worse… it is my…." Yukari turned her gaze away from me to the sunset.

"…my half-sister."

"…I see.", I muttered, and the sukima nodded. "Yeah… You understand, don't you? Even though I am powerful enough to oppose her… I cannot do it alone… I don't want to… hurt her, you know…?", whispered Yukari sadly. ..and I nodded.

I knew what it meant to hurt those close to you…

"…so would you help me? I am not planning on killing her… I love her, after all… But the way she is… she cannot remain like that. So I need your help… in negating her powers… and sealing her. It is the best… for her.", continued the sukima, her folding fan, which she usually used to hid her mouth with, just in her right hand, which dangled aside her as if numb.

"You realize I may be able to negate, but not seal, right? And you, as well, cannot seal… You may be able to send beings into your gaps… but with her being your sister, she may be able to break out, right?" Yukari nodded.

"Don't worry about the sealing part… I already got someone who is able to permanently seal her… She'll arive any second now…", sighed Yukari. And true to her word, a gap opened aside her, and a woman stepped out.

It was a pale woman with blonde hair that reached down to her lower back. She wore a white miko outfit with red sleeves and a red skirt. Her sky-blue eyes radiated warmth… and yet seriousness. And kindness.

"Yukari.", she greeted and bowed before the sukima. Then, she turned to me, and bowed before me as well… causing me to smile for some ironic reason. _"So much about that… I bow to no one, and no one bows to me…"_, I thought… before I bowed as well. For her, maybe, I may make an exception. For her… she bowed to me, after all…

"This, Chôzen Gekido, is Mana Hakurei, the current generations Miko of the great Hakurei. She will assist us… or rather, we assist her and try to prevent any harm from her. She will seal my sister.", explained Yukari, before she turned to Mana.

"Mana, this is my old friend Chôzen Gekido, the Insei no Youkai. He has the ability to negate things, so he will be quite a help in order to defeat my half-sister… He'll be able to prevent her from using her abilities… and maybe even her legendary sword, Tyrfing.", spoke Yukari to the Hakurei Miko.

"What a pleasure to meet you, Gekido-sama.", spoke the miko and bowed again. "Yeah.", I merely muttered. "Ah, please excuse him, he is no man of many words.", chuckled the sukima. Until she saw my glare. "Ahum! Well, back to buisness…", coughed Yukari.

"Our goal is to defeat my half-sister… Rumia Shisô. We do not aim to kill her though… all I want is for her to be sealed… either so her abilities are limited… or so she is completely sealed into an object.", instructed Yukari.

"…however, as she is an exalted Youkai much like myself or Chôzen, she is quite dangerous and possesses a great deal of power. Her main abilities are the manipulation of darkness and the manipulation of suicidal thoughts… so try to keep her out of your head, don't let her take your mind over."

I shared a glance with Mana. We were going to need to watch each others backs… And that against a single foe. "Is that all?", asked Mana.

"Nope. Rumia has a certain sword to her command… She claims the legendary Tyrfing, the man-killing blade of bloodlust her own. You need to watch out… she commands it with incredible skill. One slash of that blade and you are in serious trouble… so don't let her get to close to you.", added Yukari.

"So avoid close combat and keep focused all the time, right? So we just blast her out of heaven.", snickered Mana. "…unfortunately, it is going to be harder than that. Rumia is an allrounder, skilled in close-combat, sword fights, fights over large ranges and mind games. Fighting her isn't as simple as fighting any other youkai…", sighed the sukima.

Mana and I shared another glance. "…move with caution. I don't want to lose one of you, my friends…", murmured Yukari… and I shared a last glance with her.

* * *

><p><em>600 years ago, Gensokyo – Forest of Magic, outskirts<em>

So you have no clue on where to find her, huh?", asked Mana as we followed Yukari through the forest of magic. The sukima was hovering before us, sat on one of her gaps and continued to look into randomly appearing gaps before her that showed several different locations within Gensokyo.

"She is able to keep low profile… if I wouldn't have noticed the characteristic violence her victims were killed with, I wouldn't even have noticed it was her…", muttered Yukari. "…so you only know it is her from the violence used?", asked Mana. "Yeah…"

Suddenly, I heard a soft melody somewhere to my left, closer to a meadow just outside the forest of magic. A melody I was familiar with. Mana and Yukari didn't even noticed as I turned away and left them behind, walked towards the source of the melody.

Leaving behind the forest of magic, I didn't even need to walk far into the meadow… the source of the noise was pretty close. The source was a small youkai sitting on top of a wooden cart, singing to the full moon that sometimes shone through the dark clouds of crimson.

"Hello Mystia." The young night sparrow youkai squeaked in surprise, then turned around and looked with wide eyes at me. "D-don't scare me like that! I thought you were someone trying to eat me!", she complained, flailing her clawed hands around.

"What are you doing in Gensokyo?", I asked. "Some people tried to capture me in the outside world… thought I was some mutation or something like that.", she huffed, showing me her clawed hands, then pointed to her owl ears.

"…so I fled back into Gensokyo. Customers were better here anyways.", she finished, crossing her arms in front of her chest. "I see.", I replied. Mystia nodded. "And what are you doing here, Chôzen?", asked the young youkai.

"Chasing an exalted youkai…. Hunting it down." "Exalted youkai, you say?", asked the night sparrow. "Yeah." "Hm… a powerful, blonde female youkai maybe? A quite beautiful one? Surrounded by dark energy?", asked Mystia."That sounds like her.", I replied.

"She saved me a while ago… why would you hunt her?", asked Mystia in shock. "Saved you?" The questioning frown was evident on my face. The young sparrow youkai nodded slightly, seemed embarrassed by the situation. "My cart got attacked by some hungry youkai... uhm... she saved me by killing them, and I let her dine in return...", muttered Mystia... surprising me, as she wasn't singing. It seems the events of the evening had kinda shocked her enough...

...and yes, Mystia is an addition to the ones the nihilism fails upon.

"I see... nontheless, Mystia Lorelei, this youkai is a quite dangerous entity that slays thousands in her blind rage... It is a good thing that you didn't become another bloody stain on her dress...", I sighed. Mystia hesitated, but then nodded slowly. "Do you really have to kill her?"

"We are not going to kill her. We're just going to seal her.", I explained. Mystia nodded slowly, then turned her gaze away from me towards a meadow not all too far from me. And I understood. "I see…", I muttered. So she was over there…

"Please don't be too hard on her, okay?", muttered Mystia all of sudden. "I see what I can do.", I replied, glancing over my shoulder at the young night sparrow youkai. "Please…", whispered the night sparrow… and began to blush.

"I see… the emotion of love, huh?", I asked… to which the young night sparrow gasped, turned towards me, began to flail her arms around again. "IT'S NOT LIKE THAT AT ALL!", she complained… causing me to chuckle. "Yeah… sure." She growled under her breath, then turned her head away again. "Okay… so maybe I am attracted to her, okay?", she muttered.

I walked back to her, then placed a hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry… I try my best.", I sighed, closed my eyes… and then turned towards the meadow. "Thanks, Mystia."

* * *

><p>"CHÔ!" A parasol suddenly hit me over the head. "Even after all those centuries…", I growled under my breath, as two arms laid around my neck. Yukari Yakumo leaned out of a gap, her arms around my neck. "Don't always run off like that! I was concerned about you…! Thought she got you!", continued the sukima.<p>

Meanwhile, Mana left a gap, grinning at me. "It seems he got some clues, Yukari.", smiled the miko of the Hakurei. "Huh?", muttered Yukari, looking around.

We were in the middle of a meadow.

"You're right… I feel traces of dark energy in the air.", murmured the sukima. "Not just traces…", added Mana, glaring around carefully. "What do you me…ARGH!" Yukari's arms tensed around my neck. In a matter of a second, I freed myself from Yukari's embrace and jumped away from her.

Yukari had her whole body tensed, a deep, surprised frown on her face. She was glaring at me. "Keep… Mana safe, C-chôzen…", she growled… before she collapsed and sled out of her gap, which closed behind her.

With Yukari now on the ground, the reason as for why the sukima collapsed became visible… A beautiful, blonde woman with crimson wings of energy, holding a large sword. Said sword was shaped much like a cross: A long, straight, broad and crimson blade with a black, cross-shaped hilt, giving the sword the appearance of a giant cross.

Slowly, the woman lifted the sword until it pointed skywards… and then, let it fall onto her shoulder, rested it there. She had a wild, insane expression as she grinned at Mana and me. "Oh~! New playmates~!", she hummed. "Ah~! Isn't my sis the best? She brings me new playmates~!"

She rose her sword, then rested the blade on the ground. "Do you want to play with Tyrfing and me? Tyrfing has not truly awoken yet… it still is sealed, sadly… but maybe, if we play… he awakes? Let's try, he can be a looooot of fun~!"

"Mana… please be careful and step back.", I told the miko. Though I merely saw her out of the corner of my eyes, my gaze resting on the exalted Youkai of darkness, Mana seemed relucant… but did as told and stepped backwards.

"What? You don't want to play~?", asked the dark youkai, yet the dangerous grin remained on her face. "What is your name, Youkai?" "Chôzen Gekido. I am the Insei no Youkai.", I replied. "I am Rumia Shisô!", she exclaimed.

Her shout was followed by a loud laughter, that eventually died down into a chuckle. She truly was insane, wasn't she? Insane… just like me.

"I have a feeling that we will have a lot of fun together, Chôzen. I have a feeling that we are pretty alike, you know? …maybe our destinies are even the same?", she chuckled, lifting Tyrfing… before it suddenly became crimson energy, which was absorbed by her wings.

Fine, then let us play, Chôzen! Let us have fun!", she shouted, before she rushed at me.

_~ Music: Ayane – Arrival of Tears ~_

I blocked her fist with my forearm, jumped back as she summoned her sword and slashed. I landed near Mana, gave her a glance that just screamed: "Stay away!", and jumped towards Rumia Shisô.

"I get the feeling that you were searching for me… did that little sparrow sing, I wonder?", chuckled the youkai of darkness as she blocked my punches with kicks. "Mystia… no, she did not.", I replied. "Ah~! She's such a cute little bird… I think I keep her… as my special pet."

"Don't dare to.", I replied. "We'll see.", she chuckled, before she hit me with a fast kick into the stomach.

Dirt was whirled up as I impacted with the ground, creating a giant crater… but rolled out of it, just before Rumia impacted as well, her fist digging into the ground, making the crater deeper than it had been before.

I remained aside the crater, ready to rush at her once the whirled up dust and dirt were gone… but as they were, Rumia was not inside the crater anymore.

"A poisoned apple to those who stand in my way…", (1) whispered a lusty voice into my right ear, hot breath hitting my neck. "May I be… your poisoned apple?" I found myself in shock as a moan escaped my throat. "Oh~? So you like me, Chôzen?", a dark chuckle came to my ear. "I like you as well…"

"How about you continue… on my side? Become my… king? Hm? We could…fulfill our needs for destruction… destroy Gensokyo… Create a new land… make it ours… rule it… You and I… on top of the food chain, the creators of a new Gensokyo!", whispered the youkai of darkness.

"Let us make every species suffer, their faces warped in pain…just the plain idea… doesn't it sound… pleasant?" I moaned again… This was getting way out of hand! Why isn't the nihilism protecting me? "B-but why just Gensokyo? …we… could destroy it all.. make it all ours… my queen…" (2) I gasped inside at the words that escaped my mouth. "What a great idea, Chôzen…", whispered Rumia, her tongue slowly tracing my ear… then, a soft kiss on my neck…

"Don't give in… it's a mind game of hers!", snarled Yukari all of sudden. This was enough, was all I needed to snap out of it. I rammed my ellbow into Rumia's stomach, causing her to double over, letting go of me.

I rolled away from her, turned towards her as I stood up. My breath was fast, heavy. Way too fast.

"What? You thought over it again?", snickered Rumia as she stood up again. "Betrayal and the like doesn't feel so wrong anymore… (1) once you join me… become my king.", she hummed. "No thanks… I am my own king…", I growled as I panted, one hand on my chest… something was wrong about this youkai… about Rumia…

"Fine then! If you are your king, then I am my queen! So, how about this king and the queen dance? Dance! As the undead butterflies dance with their black wings (1), let them dance!" With that, she threw herself at me again, landed on top of me, pinned me down… until I rolled backwards, and pushed her off me.

She landed on her feet not all too far, sled over the ground, Tyrfing rammed into it to stop her slide.

_~ Music stop ~_

Meanwhile, I felt a hand on my shoulder. "Thanks…", growled Yukari, leaning onto me while holding her right side. "…for not giving into her…despite your… great insanity… not many managed to withstand her…", panted Yukari, glaring at her half-sister as she stood up. "….to be honest, I think you´re the first male to do so…", added the sukima.

"And that makes him even more interesting for me, sis! He'd make a good king at my side, ya know?", shouted Rumia, leaning Tyrfing onto her shoulder once more. "I'm not allowing Chôzen to be overcome by the darkness of insanity! Letting Chôzen be absorbed by darkness could very well mean the end!", growled Yukari at her half-sister.

"And that only makes him even more interesting…", snickered Rumia, before she swung Tyrfing experimentally, and then pointed it at us. "But seeing as you won't let me have him…", sighed the youkai of darkness, "…I'll take him with force!"

Extending her crimson wings and raising her sword, she began to laugh in a wicked manner. "Dance, you fools! In this banquet of massacres, dance til your petals fly away!(1)"

_~ Music: Ayane – Arrival of tears ~_

Yukari pushed me aside, then jumped out of the way herself, just before Rumia slashed right where we stood before, a crimson and black trail left back by Tyrfing.

I landed on my back and rolled until I was on my feet again. "SHADOW OF OROCHI!", announced Rumia with the smile of a madwoman, extending her arm towards me... before eight black objects burst out of her back... snakes. Gigantic snakes, their crimson eyes resting upon me.

**"To the right, idiot!"**, roared a voice in my head, surprising me. But nontheless, against my own will, my body moved out of the way, landed on the ground and rolled. _"How is it possible that you are back? When Nanatsu no Taizai left me..." _**"...I gained personality, idiot! I'm now a part of you! And it is me that Rumia is after!"** _"What do you mean?"_ I jumped out of the way as a snake tried to swallow me.

**"It's simple... to have you, she tries to manipulate you into becoming insane, like she is... with insanity comes the loss of sense and control... you understand, don't you?"** _"I do..."_

Rumia took that moment to let the snakes charge at me once again, and I knew I had to avoid them. I jumped over the first one and kicked it's head into the ground, then kicked the second one into the third, and avoided the fourth as it tried to bite me... instead it dug it's teeth into the first one, which had just tried to stand up again, and with a punch, I threw the two of them into the earth. _"It's Moriya-sama's Mishaguji all over again!"_, flashed through my mind.

The three remaining snake heads did not attack me, instead, they just stared... and then, dissipated. **"GUARD!"** Sadly, I did too late and felt a clean slash through my chest, right before I felt my back impact with the ground.

As I forced my eyes open, Rumia stood above me, Tyrfing pointed at my chest... when Yukari appeared from the left and tackled her, vanishing with her into a gap.

Meanwhile, I saw how Mana stormed towards me, then fell onto her knees aside me. "Okay, listen up, don't move and...", she began, rummaging through a bag she was carrying on a belt around her waist. "I'm fine... It'll heal... as long as I have negative energy I am fi..." "NO YOU ARE NOT!"

I was surprised at Mana's outburst... she was quite a strange person, was she not? Maybe that was, why I felt different around her...

"Listen up, I'm gonna bandage that wound, so please don't move. I'll cast a healing spell on you as well... I don't think Yukari can do this alone.", murmured Mana as she pulled out bandages from her bag, as well as a small bottle.

"Okay, listen up, this could hurt for a second...", she muttered while she pulled my shirt up, exposing the deep slash across my chest. She pulled the cork of the bottle, then positioned it above my wound... and turned it around, a strong smell escaping it... and then, stinging pain in my chest. "URGH!", I growled, surprised at myself feeling pain... and so much of it. Usually, I wouldn't even have felt this slash... to make it worse, I wouldn't have even cared... but as it seemed, the nihilism wasn't on my side this time... for some strange reason.

"Pull yourself together, it's just some alcohol to disinfect that wound…", she huffed.

"Okay… Now I'm going to cast a healing spell… then you're back in the fight, alright?", asked Mana… and I nodded."Listen up…", she began as she pulled ozt her gohei and placed it on my chest, and for some strange reason, I found myself listening to her, "…though you may be powerful, maybe not able to die permanently… even though that, you should not get yourself hurten foolishly like that… you hurt the people who love you, and care four you with that. Especially if you just keep on going, ignoring the pain and he exhaustion. Please be more sensitive, okay?"

For a moment, I just laid there, stared past her into the heaven shrouded in crimson clouds… she was right. I really should be more sensitive… was that the reason Nanatsu had pushed me away? Because I was insensitive, kept for myself?

"Come on, you're fine.", spoke Mana all of sudden… surprising me. I had been too deep in thoughts to notice that she had bandaged me up… My chest was now covered in white bandages, a red stain at the front from the bleeding… Seems the treatment really did it…

And just as I rose to my feet again, Yukari's gap opened up… and the sukima fell out of it, panting. And seconds later, Rumia followed, looking almost perfectly fine, aside some scratches and burned spots on her otherwise perfect, beautiful, pale skin.

"Poor, poor sis.", chuckled Rumia, before she kicked the sukima in the side. "Trying to keep me away from him… you failed, sis. He is mine. My king.", snickered the dark angel, before she looked up at me. "Well then, care to continue our dance?", she chuckled. "Fine.", I replied. And without any other words, she pulled Tyfing and rushed at me again.

* * *

><p>I managed to catch Tyrfing wih my bare hand enveloped in negative energy, avoided Rumia's try to kick into my side, and as she pulled Tyrfing up, I jumped back and landed on the ground, only to jump away as she jumped towards me, her sword over her head. The moment it touched the ground, the meadow, a large crater appeared, out of which Rumia charged at me again.<p>

Ducking under Tyrfing, I used my head to throw her into the air by pushing it against her stomach and pulling it up. Rumia landed on the ground behind me with a loud cracking noise, screaming out in pain. But nontheless, she rolled away in the matter of a second, her crimson wings extending and threatening to slash and burn me, but merely hit my right shoulder and grazed it, leaving back only a small cut, the skin around it molten.

Glancing back at the dark angel, I found her standing on her feet, sending a glare my way... a nasty grin upon her lips. "Not bad. You really seem worthy to become my king.", cackled Rumia, leaning Tyrfing onto her right shoulder. "We would be great together."

"I think otherwise.", I replied, charging up my own attack. "NEGATIVE WAVE OF LOST SOULS!", I roared, swinging my right, green-glowing arm down in a vertical motion. The moment that it hit the ground, a green shockwave was set free, rolling towards Rumia, but the dark youkai rushed into the air, charging up Tyrfing. "BLOODLUST THUNDERSTORM!", she roared herself, her blade suddenly struck by crimson lightning... which was released straight towards me as she slashed with her sword in midair.

In the very last second, I managed to jump over the lightning, twirled in midair to avoid a second strike of the crimson lightning, then landed on the ground and waited for her to charge her lightning again... which she did. And at the same time, I used the negative wave of lost souls once more, causing the attacks to meet halfway... causing a gigantic explosion of green and crimson, destroying the ground beneath it, ripping apart some trees in the process.

And through the explosion, Rumia charged at me, Tyrfing ready to slash me apart.

I managed to dance around the madwoman's slash, my right fist digging into her stomach, leaving her to double over. Then, I brought my ellbow down on her back, sending her onto all fours, Tyrfing lying aside her… I kicked it away. "Damn you…", she growled, struggling to get up, "…but don't think I need Tyrfing to dance! I am very well still able to fight…", she hissed, getting up, going into a battle stance. "Let us continue, my king…", she whispered, lifting her right foot, trying to kick me.

_~ Music Change: Super Street Fighter 4 – Juri Han's Theme ~_

**"I'm gonna fuck you up!"**, roared the angel of death.

I blocked her kick with my forearm, pushing it away to get her off balance. However, she used the momentum, twirled, lifted her left leg and got me lucky into my side. I snarled n pain, doubled over, only to receive another kick, this time, into my stomach.

Rumia had grabbed me by the shoulders, held me down as she lifted her leg rapidly, hitting her knee into my chest several times, before I managed to catch her leg and pull on it, leaving us to fall.

I landed on top of her, but she pulled her legs up and kicked me into the air. And while I was still airborne, she pushed herself off the ground and rushed towards me, thrusting her fist into my stomach, pushing further up, before she grabbed me by the ankles, twirled around, and threw me back at the ground.

I hit it once, bounced off of it, but before I could again, I landed on my feet. Rumia fell out of the heaven, aimed her fist to strike me, but I extended my right arm towards the heaven… and caught her forehead. She gasped as my hand clenched around her head.

I frowned, glared daggers at her, right before I smashed her into the ground. "Why you little….!", she groaned, rising from the ground, going back into a fighting stance. "It seems my king doesn't like to dance… How unfortunate, because this dance is far from over!"

The crimson wings on her back gowed once, then Rumia held her hands like claws… and her crimson nails extended until they were long and sharp… looked like claws. "This is going to be a painful experience, my king!", hissed Rumia, "...but believe me, it will be worth it! Because after it, we two rule this land!"

She charged at me again, trying to hit me during a sidewards roll, but I ducked, both underneath her claws, as well as her wings. **"The suicidal queen..."**, murmured Insanity inside me, **"...watch out, 'cause I don't think this is over yet!"** I nodded, then fell sideways as Rumia ended her roll with another slash with her claws.

She followed me with her gaze, then went into a crouching position, extended her leg and made a 360° degree turn I did not expect, allowing her to swipe my legs away and send me onto my back.

Before I could rise from the ground, she sat on my stomach, staring down at me, having me pinned... and then, she grinned nastily and reached back with her right hand. "Goodnight, my king!", she snickered, before she punched me straight into the face, causing my head to snap sidewards.

I growled under my breath, clenched my teeth, took in the second blow. And the third. And every hit that followed. "How do you like that, my king? You're being punished for being so stubborn! But you like this, don't you? Playing hard to get, huh?", snickered the insane youkai as she continued beating me up... until I thrusted my hip upwards, not only shocking her, but taking her completely off guard, sending her flying over me onto the ground.

With a blurry vision, I stumbled to my feet and took a fighting stance myself... screw the nihilism, it doesn't work on her for some reason! For some reason, my nihilism fails me! I am what and who I was before it...! Why?

Through my blurry vision, I managed to make out how Rumia stood up and turned her head to look over her shoulder at me... and then, the next thing I knew was that she pointed her right hand at me, a black energy gathering inside it... and then, pain.

I was lying on my back, but not allowing her this advantage, I rolled backwards and landed on my feet again... my vision still blurred. "are you...rig...?", a muffled voice reached my ears... it was distorted, a constant ringing noise in my head blocking it out. "...ki...o-sa...!" ...Mana?

I shook my head violently, somewhat regaining my vision... well, at least I was able to make out Mana's shape more clear. "It seems she caused quite some damage to your head...! Is everything alright?", asked the miko concerned, to which I just rose my right hand and placed it on my head... then, as I felt a warm and sticky liquid, pulled it back... and found that my hand was full with blood. My own blood... but strangely... I don't care...

Yes... time to return to the fight!

I blocked out the miko's enraged shouts and turned back to Rumia, who was smirking nastily at me. "You're so worthy to become my king... Chôzen.", she breathed. "Just shut up.", I huffed, going into a battle stance... and this time, before she could react, I attacked.

I hit her in the gut with a powerful blow, sending her stumbling backwards... her claws digging into my arm, onto which she held. She pulled me with her, and as soon as she had recovered (and that was quite fast), she spun around on the spot, let go of my arm in the process, and aimed a kick at the right side of my head.

I blocked it with my right arm, grabbed it and twisted it, causing Rumia to growl... but with a quick motion, she swung me into the ground. **"Avoid her legs at any cost! She is quite skilled with kicks, as it seems! I analyzed your fight so far... she's been using kicks most of the time... unless she is relying onto her sword, Tyrfing. You should try and go for her legs first!"**

Rolling out of the way of a kick, I stumbled to my feet, though my sight had returned to being somewhat blurry. Rumia grinned in a mad way at me from the corner of her eyes... then charged at me, a kick aimed at my stomach. _**"Is this just me or is she playing around with us?" **__"Could you two kindly shut the fuck up?"_, I thought in anger, blocking Rumia's kick, twisting her leg and pushing her back.

Sadly, she regained balance, then aimed another kick at me, this time at my neck. I blocked it, danced to the left, myself preparing a kick, but I was merely blocked by her grabbing my leg, aiming a punch at my face, beneath which I ducked. And at the same time, Rumia and I grabbed each other by the back of our heads, and headbutted each other.

Feeling weak, losing my balance, a feeling of numbness flowing through me for a moment, I stumbled backwards, just as Rumia did, both of us panting, holding our foreheads. "Not bad, my king!", she chuckled. "Could say the same about you, suicidal queen.", I retorted. "Suicidal queen?", she asked, raising an eyebrow. "Anyone who dares to oppose me... must be suicidal.", I snickered. "Oh~! Well, you're not far from the truth... I do have the ability to manipulate suicidal thoughts...", replied the angel of death. "Yukari told you, didn't she~?", she added.

I merely nodded... and then, went back into the battle stance. But then, I felt a hand on my right shoulder. "We're gonna help.", spoke Yukari with a weak chuckle. "Yeah. We will.", added Mana, standing to my left. "My, how rude~! Sis and that miko stop the dance, huh~? Or maybe they just go to turn it up a notch~?", chuckled Rumia, extending her hand to the right... summoning Tyrfing back into her hand.

"Fine!", exclaimed Rumia, swinging Tyrfing upwards in a diagonal wave... a wave of dark matter rolling towards us. Mana and Yukari rushed away, but I lifted, though slowly and painful due to my wounds, my right hand and deflected the black wave with negative energy used through my bare hand.

"Hm!", huffed Rumia with a pleased smile, before she jumped into the air to confront her half-sister. "Listen up, Gekido-sama! I'm going to stay in the background and help you and Yukari with some blessings, alright? I am not that much of a fighter...", muttered Mana, who flew aside me, as she focused on Yukari and began to mumble something in a strange tongue.

"Now.", muttered Mana, and I nodded, then rushed into the fight myself.

* * *

><p>Yukari hit Rumia with a laser from a gap, but the angel of death took the attack with a big grin, deflected it after a few seconds, then charged at her half-sister... but halfway, Chôzen Gekido impacted with her and rushed with her into the crimson heaven.<p>

There, he pushed her backwards and kicked her into the stomach, grabbed her leg and swung her around, threw her back to Yukari. The sukima awaited her sister and hit her with several lasers, which caused the angel of death to lose balance once more, and one final laser eventually send her into the ground, ripping it apart.

Chôzen rushed after her, vanished in the forest that Rumia fell into... a few seconds later, he was thrown out of it, rolling over the floor, Rumia following him out of the forest, Tyrfing raised. "SUICIDE BULLET!", she hollered, bringing the sword down... and halfway, it became a revolver.

She pulled the trigger, a crimson bullet escaping the weapon. "What the...?", roared Chôzen, right before he rolled out of the way. "Guns? In Gensokyo!", he gasped, rolling out of the way of yet another crimson bullet. Rumia was about to pull the trigger yet again, but one of Yukari's lasers sent her flying... landing next to Mana.

Yukari's and Chôzen's eyes widened... and Rumia realized what they thought... and grinned maniacally.

"Alright!", screamed Rumia, stumbling to her feet, one arm around Mana's neck, her other hand holding the revolver to Mana's head. "One wrong step and I shot lil' miss princess here, and put Gensokyo to an end!"

Chôzen stumbled to his feet, aimed one hand at Rumia... when the angel of death turned her weapon so it pointed at him. "Ah ah ah! Don't you dare to hurt me, King! My bullet is faster, anyways!", she chuckled, and as Yukari moved, she turned her weapon to point at Yukari... and pulled the trigger.

Yukari went stiff, her eyes wide and her irises small... and then, she fell onto her knees... and then, onto her face... blood flowing from the bullet wound in between her eyes. "Hm... not as though as I remember you, sis.", snickered Rumia, pointing her weapon at me again.

"Now... my king... come to my side... give into the darkness... and I let this lil' miss pri...!"

Rumia didn't get to finish. Mana pulled her head back, hitting Rumia's with it, then rammed her ellbow into Rumia's stomach, causing the angel of death to let go of her and double over.

And as Mana rushed past me to tend to Yukari, I walked towards Rumia... perfectly calm. Though she was glaring at me... and her Revolver had turned back into a sword.

"Just... why is it that you don't... want to join me...?", she growled... and I merely chuckled. "Being a king doesn't fit me...", I replied, shrugging. "...and besides...", I continued, glaring down at her...

"...I bow to no one, and no one bows to me..."

* * *

><p>Rumia sneered... but then, slowly began to chuckle... which turned into an evil cackle... and then, into mad laughter. "That's the funniest quote I ever heard!", she roared. "No one bows to you? You can make them! You have the power to make them all bow to you! So just give into it, and do it! Make them bow!", she shouted... before she suddenly jumped at me, and pinned me beneath her.<p>

This time, sitting on my chest, she rose Tyrfing... and pointed it at my face. "Sorry, my king... but if you don't want to be with me... then I am at least preventing others from getting you!", she shouted, pulling Tyrfing up.

"Fufufufu! SAYONARA, MY KING!", she shouted... and brought the sword down.

...and found herself staring fear as I blocked Tyrfing with my bare hand... well... rather... **He **blocked it.

**"...nope. No bad end here."**, he chuckled. Insanity chuckled, taking Rumia off guard... especially as he just stood up and threw her back. **"Well then...**", he sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose, **"...I believe it is me who you are after, right?"**

Rumia frowned... but then, chuckled. "So you are the insanity inside my king? You are my true king?", she asked. "Didn't expect you to be an actual second personality." **"Oh~! Many don't believe that."** "Fine. So what has convinced you to just show up before me, hm~?", she chuckled. **"I couldn't leave such a beautiful lady waiting, could I?"**, he replied, crossing his arms in front of his body.

"What a gentleman my king is~! Very well, shall we dance then?", she asked. **"Let us dance 'til the sun rises." **"I am ready when you are!", she shouted, took a defensive stand... and then, her irises became small, her irises became black and red slits... Looking pretty snake-like. **"You know, I fight better when I am fully insane as well!"**, she roared, pulled Tyrfing, and charged at Insanity with a mad grin upon her face.

* * *

><p><em>~ Music change: Foreground Eclipse - Calm eyes fixed onto me, screaming ~<em>

**"LUNATIC SLASH OF VIOLENCE!"**, roared the angel of death, raising Tyrfing over her head, letting it glow with crimson energy... and then, she brought it down. But instead of letting a wave of energy roll towards him... it moved up Rumia's arms and into her wings... which extended to gigantic size. And with her sword pointed towards me, she jumped at him.

Insanity rolled away from her attack, caught her by the shoulder, then slammed her into the ground. Rumia hissed in pain... as did he, as the crimson wings cut into his right arm. The two jumped away from each other, sled on the ground until there was a good distance between them. **"Nice!"**, wistled Rumia, rolling her shoulders. **"...you're powerful, suicidal queen."**, he commented, raising an eyebrow.

**"Well then... here's my reply! UNEMOTIONAL TEAR!"**, he roared, put his right hand onto his face... crimson energy flowing from his right eye into his right hand... and then, he vanished, surprised the angel of death... and let her scream in pure pain as her back exploded.

Landing on the ground with a roll, Rumia got a short glance at him... and found that a red trail was under his right eye, giving one the impression he was crying crimson tears. Looking almost like blood.

**"Fine... you're really... really powerful, my negative king."**, she panted, half-growling, half-chuckling. **"...but with the next attack, you are mine!"**, she roared, releasing black and crimson energy from her body. **"THE FINAL, MOONLESS NIGHT! THE WORLD OF ZERO!"**,she screamed, extended her arms... and a crimson halo appeared above her head...

...just as darkness covered the only source of light... the moon. It was a lunar eclipse... just for this final attack of hers. Just for her, the night bend... just for her to have her king! **"HIYAAAH!"**, she shouted out as she jumped at him, covering in her body in crimson energy.. and before he could react, pain shot through his body...

...and he found himself lying on his back on the meadow, Rumia sitting on his waist, pinned him down, grinning at him in a lusty way. **"I've got you..."**, she panted... then leaned down... and kissed him...

...and he kissed her just as passionately back. Just as wild... just as untamed and furious, their tongues wrestling... until he let out a groan... and tried as hard as he could to swallow... and breath.

Rumia pulled back... chuckled, an expression in between sadness and satisfaction on her face... watched with those mixed emotions how several of his muscles began to twitch as he tried as hard as he could to breathe... and then, he stared down at Tyrfing, which was rammed through his heart.

**"You're mine now..."**, snickered Rumia... watched as he desperately began to raise his hand towards her, twitching and shaking, trembling with fear in his eyes... and Rumia watched with utter satisfaction...

...until the grin was wipped off her face in the matter of a second, the world and her body numb... as his hand laid onto the center of her chest. "Ne...", he growled with all air left within him... "...gation..."

...and Rumia collapsed atop him... shattering Tyrfing as she landed...

...and the tragedy unfolded. A shard left in his chest. Rumia atop him. Their past intertwined... as were their fates.

From this very moment on... it was sealed. Rumia Shisô and Chôzen Gekido... the two that hated each other and themselves... and loved each other at the same time. The shackles of bloodlust... and guilt... had intertwined...

...intertwined, just like their hands were at this moment of weakness.

* * *

><p><em>Present, Gensokyo - Meadow under the moonlight<em>

Rumia sighed, opened her eyes, stared at the full moon... then down at the meadow. On the horizon, she could see him... he was walking towards her... It was finally time to end this. No regrets... at the end.

* * *

><p>(1) Parts of the translated Lyrics to „Disgea 2 – Sinful Rose".<p>

(2) You probably don't remember it anymore, but what Rumia and Chôzen thought about doing is the same that Chôzen thought about doing in Chapter 6 of I-NB, when Rumia was unsealed and he absorbed the dark energy released by her… only was he thinking about doing these things with Mima instead. So, in a way, one of the most important memories was one of the first he reachieved… without realising it.

* * *

><p><em>Yep. That's chapter that shows Chôzen and Rumia's past... their first meeting.. their first fight... the event that intertwined their fates... and one of the major events leading to the events of I-NB.<em>

_And as I mentioned, it is the counterpart to "A crimson flash in the darkness"... and yes, as you may have noticed, the last paragraph is a hint as to when and who remembers this actually... it is Rumia. She remembers her first fight witch Chôzen, the event before her sealing... She remembers it before she confronts Chôzen in "A crimson flash in the darkness ~ no regrets at the end~". _

_That's all I guess..._

_No, wait! Mana Hakurei is an OC, I created her. So she is mine as well. To be honest, I did not intend to write her at first... but I needed a Hakurei in here, as I mentioned that a Hakurei was the one who put on the seal onto Rumia... so I created her. Thought a nameless Hakurei would be... yeah. You know what I mean._

_That said, this is the end of the update. Hope I see you next one!_

_So long!_


	14. 11,2 The shackles are placed

_**SorrowfulReincarnation:**__ So yeah... I trolled you. Kinda. _

_**Flame-soul: **__What do you mean?_

_**SorrowfulReincarnation:**__ Let's say it like this: The update I did was parted in two: "The Dark Regret" and the second, new part of the update: "The black shackles"._

_**Chôzen: **__Oh you…!_

_**SorrowfulReincarnation:**__ *trollface*_

_**Chôzen:**__ So, are you telling me… the fight with Rumia wasn't over? It still is going on? You tricked us? Even ME? *glares my way*_

_**SorrowfulReincarnation: **__*sweatdrops* I'm sorry?_

_**Flame-Soul:**__ So… Chapter 59 of I-NB, and Chapter 11 of 0-NM, in which we are now… were actually cliffhangers? Just two parts? _

_**SorrowfulReincarnation: **__*sweatdrops heavier* Um… kinda. Yeah. They are. This here is actually chapter 11.2…. I hope you can forgive me, Flame-Soul… Chôzen… and of course, the readers. You see… At first, I actually meant to make 59 one chapter, and 11 another one… but then I thought: "Hey, make them cliffhangers!" _

…_and then… yeah, I put the parts of the chapters (59 & 11) in four different documents (59.1, 59.2, 11.1, 11.2) when the "Dark Regret" Update was almost finished… and kinda forgot _ . I totally forgot that two parts were meant to be one, and wrote an end for 59, in which Rumia was killed, and 11, which ends with Rumia waiting for  
>Chôzen<em>_(in before the fight of I-NB Ch.59.1~No regrets at the end)..._

…_so basically, I continue from there. Sorry I forgot to mention it was a cliffhanger... and not over yet. _

_...it is never over. It never can be over, as long as Chôzen Gekido walks on this earth... and Rumia Shisô and Nanatsu no Taizai are there as well... even in death._

_So yeah... the darkness of the past is yet to be sealed... the darkness that will be unsealed... starting the true events of I - Negative Bullet..._

_**Flame-Soul**__: Huge walls of text are huge!_

_**Chôzen: **__Indeed they are. Quod Erat Demonstrandum_

_**SorrowfulReincarnation:**__ Alright, alright, I'll shut up! Okay people, move on, nothing to see here anymore, just a guy who left nihilism behind, a split soul, and a totally ignored author... Geez! Well, one last note: This chapter will be mainly from "Insanity Chôzen"'s view, so don't get confused at the many clashing aspects with Chôzen's original personality... Insanity is like a complete different person._

_**Small Rumia: **__Is that so~? SorrowfulReincarnation does not own Touhou, Team Shanghai Alice / ZUN does. However, SorrowfulReincarnation does own Chôzen Gekido, the flame-soul, Nanatsu no Taizai and Mana Hakurei, characters he has created._

_**SorrowfulReincarnation: **__Kyaaah! *nosebleed* It's her again! What is such an adorable youkai doing in my room! Chôzen, do something!_

_**Chôzen: **__*bloody tissues in nose* Why me?_

_**SorrowfulReincarnation: **__She's your future-lover-turned-victim!_

_**Flame-Soul:**__ *blood drips out of it* So even I can have a nosebleed~! I'd say we keep her~!_

_**SorrowfulReincarnation: **__Do what you want, just get her away from me...! I can't stand such cuteness!_

_**Chôzen: **__*hears perverted cackle of Flame-Soul* I better get her out of here, before someone starts a time paradox...! *Grabs Rumia and makes a run for it... but runs into somebody*_

_**Keine: **__Which of you idiots was about to mess with history? __*turns ex-Keine*_

_**SorrowfulReincarnation, Chôzen, Flame-Soul: **__KYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH! __*embrace each other in fear*_

_**Small Rumia: **__Is that so~? *cute grin*_

_**KABOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!**_

_**Ex-Keine: **__*grins* Please read Chapter 59.2 of I-Negative Bullet before this, to avoid messing with history... and spoilers.*scowls* Do it, or you end up like them! *points to a pile of bloody bodies, which could not even be identified as Chôzen and SR... merely the Flame-Soul could be identified*_

_**Ex-Keine: **__*smiles angelically* Have fun reading this chapter. Hope you enjoy it~!_

_**Small Rumia: **__*sits on Ex-Keine's shoulders* Is that so~? Have fun!_

* * *

><p><em><strong>Chapter 11.2 : A green flash in the darkness ~ the shackles are placed<strong>_

**"ah... aha... ahahaha!"** I opened my eyes, my blurry vision trying to focus on something. **"...you're quite fun, my king."**, purred a voice into my right ear. I growled as I heard the voice and immeadiately remembered, pushed her off softly. As I did, she continued to laugh a little. **"What happened...",** I growled under my breath.

**"Oh, my king, we had a loooot of fun last night~!"**, roared the angel of death in laughter. Turning my head to the right, I found her lying aside me, laughing at me with her beautiful face. Turning back towards the heaven, I found that it was somewhere in before sunrise. I must've been out for hours...

**"Fufufu... it sure has been a long time since someone got me laid."**, chuckled the angel of death, on purpose phrasing it that special way. I know there had nothing been in between us last night... other than her sword, which had pierced me in the chest... What about Chôzen, anyways? He was kinda out cold when I took over... Not that I took the body fully, otherwise, it would've distorted into something demonic.

_"I'm here, inside the back of our mind, Insanity."_ **"Ah, there you are."**, I chuckled, while I tried to sit up. Tried. Because as I did; I suddenly felt a stinging pain... inside my heart. _"Watch it. You idiot negated the stability of her sword as you negated her powers... that thing broke inside your heart... and kinda left back a shard. I've been trying to give our body the command to reject it... but it won't listen. That shard is stuck there."_

**"Argh! Damn it!"**, I growled, ignoring the pain and rising to my feet. **"What? My king doesn't stay in bed with me~?"**, taunted Rumia, before she rose from the ground herself. **"How mean of him."**, she huffed as she did so.

"So you two are still alive...", murmured Yukari's voice from above, and upon looking up, I found Yukari and Mana sit on one of Yukari's gaps. "...for a moment I thought you just killed each other.", growled the sukima. **"Pah! I was just spending some time with my king, sis~!"**, chuckled Rumia, before she put an arm around my neck, pulled me into a headlock, then threw me into the ground, my back colliding with it first, knocking all wind out of me.

**"But don't think this is over yet!"**, she roared, summoning Tyrfing again.

Unable to move, the pain in my chest becoming unbearable in addition to the pain from my back, I was forced to watch how Rumia rushed into the heaven, ready to kill her sister and the Hakurei Miko.

_"It's my fault... When I told the body to reject the shard, it wasn't able to, but it was enough to cause it to instantly repel it... I could ease our pain... but it would mean to do a critical thing..." _**"I.. I don't care!"**, I whimpered, tossing my body around as the stinging pain became a burning one.

_"Fine..."_ I continued to growl under my breath, hoped for him to do something quick... I may be stronger than him, with a higher pain threshold... but with the nihilism somehow not helping this time, as well as Rumia being something different... yeah, it hurt even me like hell... and usually, pain I feel would cause a normal person to break under the pressure.

**THUD!** _**"Something just impacted aside us...!"**_ **"Thank you for stating the obvious...", **I growled towards the flame-soul hovering above me. And just that second, the pain subsided... and I quickly jumped up, moved like a tensed elastic band that was let go off.

And on my feet, I quickly looked upwards. Rumia was fighting Yukari, both looking already somewhat worn out... their clothes ripped and some open wounds on their bare skin.

Then, I turned to look at the ground aside me... and found Mana Hakurei, lying on the ground, not moving. But the mere fact that Gensokyo was still standing was testament to the fact that she was either unconciousness or dying... but seeing as the barriers of Gensokyo were still intact,it means that she was just knocked out cold.

**"So..."**, I muttered,turning back to the fight above me, **"...what did you do to ease the pain?"** _"You wanna know...?"_, asked Chôzen in the back of my mind. _"...fine. I commanded the body to do the opposite of what he was doing before... Instead of rejecting it, I let it accept that shard... though that means that this shard is now grown into our heart and cannot be removed... we can live without pain."_ **"I see..."**

Taking a step forwards, I kept my eyes on the fight in the air above me. Yukari and Rumia seemed to be equal to each other in terms of power when they fought without holding back... but Rumia was fighting without holding back, while Yukari held back... and because of that, she was losing badly.

Emotions make you lose.

"_Shouldn't we save Yukari? She may be annoying, but she is what we consider to be our friend, after all."_ I nodded slowly, though I did not move. For some reason, I just wanted to stand here and watch her…

…watch **Rumia** as she unleashes her rage, her hatred, her bloodlust…

_"Hey! Snap out of it will ya! Now is not the moment to...!" _**"Argh, just shut up, you're not helping**", I growled, ignoring him as I continued to watch how Rumia fought almost majestically against her half-sister... It was a sight to behold, marvelous and perfect for my eyes... a beautiful girl and blood in the same scene, unfolding before my eyes... it was a thrill for me, a cold chill running down my spine. Violence and beautiful, dangerous girls...

_**"Hold back, will ya? Don't let yourself get the better of y...!" **_**"I told you two to SHUT UP and let ME handle this!"**, I roared as the flame-soul spoke up, twirling around, knocking it out of the air with the back of my right hand. Fools, trying to interfere and meddle with my path, trying to manipulate my decisions!

_"Your decisions?" _**"Stop questioning me and my ways, Chôzen!"**, I huffed, having had just enough of him... I rather should just end this, then return to getting rid of him... He has my body, after all.

So, with my newly build up anger... what was I even angry at? I mean, it's just my pitiful self and that damn renegade soul, which is even worse than him, because it is a part of him!

I mean, I am as well. But at least I don't shatter under pressure. I don't need to rely onto nihilism to ignore, don't need to rely onto it for some stupid crap... after all, I am an incarnation of insanity. I am strong, unbreakable, rule, look down upon others... I am the perfect existence. Pretty close to it, at least.

_**"And they say I think too high of me..."**_Ignoring that comment straight away, I observed with a growing smirk how Yukari was shaking, barely holding her balance... before she fell out of the air and impacted with the ground a short distance away from me. PAH! Serves her right, that stupid sukima...

...well then, back to **my queen**...

* * *

><p><strong>"And that takes care of that!"<strong>, cackled Rumia as she descended and eventually stood in a short distance away from me. She crossed her arms in beneath her chest, smirking very self-pleased at me.

"**So, my king, now it is just the two of us again."**, she whispered as she walked towards me, began to circle me… like a shark circling it's helpless prey… Only that I was not helpless. I was anything but helpless. **"Very well. I was hoping it for just to be us again… Shall we dance then again, my queen of the eternal darkness?"**

"**Well spoken, my king. Very well then, please let us dance… dance til our petals fly away… until the morning sun rises and the darkness perishes… let us dance until we are one!" "NO REGRETS…!" "…AT THE END!"**

With these cries, we jumped.

~ _Rumia Shisô's theme : Super Street Fighter 4 – Juri Han's Theme _~

"**I'M GONNA FUCK YOU UP!"**, roared Rumia once more, right before we met in midair.

And the first thing I noticed was pressure on my back… but not because something was on top of me. Rather because I had impacted with the ground. My queen had hit me hard it seems… Seems like this dance will be quite fun!

Pushing myself out of the ground again, I let out a pleased huff, before I rushed into the air, over where Rumia was flying, crimson lightning slashing through the clouds, impacting with the ground beneath, setting it on fire.

Rumia pulled Tyrfing with a circular movement of her right arm, then slashed horizontally… but leaning backwards, I managed to slip past her sword, and with a sudden twirl, my spin-kick hit her into the back and sent her flying.

Water shot into the air as Rumia impacted with the lake beneath, but as I rushed towards it, she shot out as well, rushed towards me. We were heading towards each other with incredible speed, the collision seemed unavoidable… until Rumia and I rolled towards our right at the same time.

As we did, she tried to slash me with Tyrfing, but missed me.

We landed on the ground at the same time, sled on it, twirled around, faced each other again.

"**Not bad, my king. Not all too bad altogether!"** I rose an eyebrow, huffed. **"What, my queen, tired of our dance already? But we just begun!"**, I teased her. **"But of course not! This dance is anywhere from over!"**, she replied, before we both ran towards each other.

She ducked underneath my fist, pulled up her knee and hit me into the stomach, made me stumble back and double over. But before she managed to hit me with her kick, aimed at my chest, I catched her foot, pulled on it, causing her to fall onto her back.

Not going to allow her to stand back up, I jumped towards her, my hand aimed to impale her chest… but she pulled her legs up and kicked me away, before she rolled backwards and landed on her legs, as did I.

She didn't stay there though, rushed at me her fists raised. But I knew she wouldn't punch me. She prefered kicks, that I had learned from our fight so far. And true to my suspects, right before she reached me, she twirled on the spot, tried to kick me, but I jumped backwards, avoided her kick, then tried my own, which she blocked with her left forearm.

She turned her arm, caught me by my ankle, pulled, causing me to fall onto my back. It was pretty painful, at least would've been to normal people, but since I am no normal person… I am better than that! _**"You…. Go away! Get back into the darkest part of his mind!" **_**"…pah! Now, this is my body! My body again!" **_"It never was yours!" _**"IT IS MINE!"**

Anger rose again, power flowing through me again… Oh, I would be so enjoying our third dance!

I rolled out of the way of her kick, which had been aimed at my neck, grabbed her leg and pulled on it, sending her onto her back as well.

Then, I rolled on top of her, cackling like a madman as I punched her rapidly into the face, much like she had punched me before. Her groans of pain were like music to my ears, and her glare was like the most beautiful flower I had ever seen…

If Nanatsu no Taizai had been beautiful to me, this insane youkai beneath me was perfect.

Suddenly, she tried to push me off with raw power, causing me to cackle even more. She was giving me what I longed for, was giving me insanity and power, pain and pleasure, drew blood from my skin and gave me the challenge I had searched for…

Rumia Shisô… you would be mine, only mine. You would be mine… and you would be the one to… **"URGH!"** I fell backwards off her, pain in my chest. He was trying to push me back into the back of his mind, into the dark area I was usually banished into…I stumbled to my feet, tried to push him back….

…and succeeded.

The pain easened and my tensed muscles relaxed… and as I looked up, a knee hit me into the face, made me stumble backwards.

**"You... didn't think I let you... just get away with that, did you?"**, sneered Rumia, yet with an insane grin on her face. **"There's too much that connects us to just let go of you, my king!"** I panted as she spoke, took deep breaths to regain my strength. Oh boy, she didn't even knew how right she was! It was way too early for this to end, this beautiful relationship of ours had to continue... I don't care if for hours or for days, and even though I know one of us will die at the end of this relationship... it is the best I will ever have.

I swear, I'll enjoy every second of it.

"**Alright… the dance now really begins…!"**, she hissed, taking steps towards me, walked towards me until she as aside me… began to circle me again… her hand tracing my jawbone, moved along my neck… stoppedat my chin… before she pulled me into a kiss.

It lasted only shortly, was like the faint touch of silk…. But it was the burning desire after it that reminded me of the pleasure it brought.

"**Ready for the final part of this dance?"**, she asked, breathed against my lips. **"Always… my queen…"** Our lips touched again, a chill running through this body that I hadn't felt since Nanatsu no Taizai had been mine… or rather, his…Chôzen's.

But Rumia was mine. Was my possession, my plaything…I could break her if I wanted to… Could love her… Be it what it want, I could do it to her… In the end, I will do both to her. First love her… then break her…

Eventually, her lips slipped away, our physical connection parted, all what was left the desire for more… and the sweet aftertaste of affection, even though sadistic, dark one.

As she took a few last steps backwards, she licked her lips for a last time, then took a final step backwards, going into a battle stance. **"I love the taste of battles…. Of danger and blood…"**, she snickered, blood trailing out of her mouth. My blood.

I let out a cruel laugh, ignored the pain I felt. The burning, stinging pain in my lower lip and my tongue, which she had dug her teeth into. After all, I had bitten her too, as evidently noticeable at the left side of her lower lip, from where blood trailed out of a wound.

"**Exactly my thoughts, queenie."**, I replied, enjoying the taste of iron in my mouth… the taste of our mingled blood. That must be how a vampire felt after it's meal, after the exchange of blood to turn the victim into a ghoul... The creation of a master-slave relationship in between them...

The exchange of our blood was like a bond as well. Rumia and I had exchanged blood during our kiss, had bitten each other to create the bond in between lovers... and mortal enemies. They say "keep your friends close and your enemies closer.", and what was closer than a bond of love and hate?

**"Well then, my queen..."**, I snickered, licking her blood of my lower lip very slowly to enjoy every small second of pleasure it brought to me, **"...let us being the final part of this dance of love and death!"** She took another step back, her tongue trailing over her upper left canine, which was covered in blood. **"I am always ready, handsome!"**

I moved, appeared before her... where she used to be, at least. I ducked a little as I reached her, tried to impale chest with my right hand... but found merely nothing. She wasn't any longer in front of me. **"All good things come from above!" **Looking upwards, I found her falling towards me, her right foot extended, shrouded in a black flame, darkness.

I backflipped, landed on my feet and sled on them, one hand on the ground to break my slide, watched with awe and yet annyoance how a black explosion destroyed the ground where she landed, left back a deep hole.

And out of that explosion, even before the dust cleared, shot a purple and black flame, aimed right at my face.

With a quick wheel to my left, I managed to avoid three of these flames, then catched the fourth with my right hand, which I covered in crimson negative energy before, to avoid any damages, just in case... and I should be right. The purple and black flame in my hand was no usual flame... rather, it was causing death. Instant death... at least to some point.

A flame that had missed me had ignited a tree nearby.. it was now burning down in purple and black hellfire. But instead of actually burning away into a pile of ash, like it should be since it was in flames, it was actually beginning to age at a very fast speed, began to dry up, rot, and then turn into dust.

**"I am not only commanding suicide, you know?"**, spoke the female voice from right behind me, causing me to flinch and turn around, **"...I am also able to invoke certain kinds of death."** I glared at her, awaited her movement... it did not come, so I slowly lifted my hand, the one that was carrying the purple and black fire, until it was in front of her face.. and then closed my hand to a fist, extinguishing the fire.

**"Death means nothing to me."**, I told her... then dug my fist into her stomach. She groaned out in pain as she stumbled backwards, doubling over, holding her stomach in pain. **"I guessed."**, she chuckled weakly, before she regained her strength, and stood upright again. And vanished.

I ducked underneath the spin-kick that came from behind, jumped as she appeared before me and tried to slash my feet with Tyrfing. In midair, I spun myself, aimed a kick at her head, but she blocked it with her right forearm.

With my other foot, I pushed myself off her, landed on the ground, grinning like a madman. I hadn't felt so good in such a long time~! I haven't felt this pleasure for sooooo long~!

**"Ah...aha...ahahahahahaha!"** I broke into crazy laughter as I lunged at Rumia again, pushed her onto the ground, and even as she kicked me into the air, I continued to laugh. This was just too much fun~!

I landed painfully on my back,... and yet continued to laugh. Continued as I slowly stumbled to my feet... but then, I just grinned at her, grinned my maniac smile. For a moment, she seemed confused, uncertain.. but then, began to grin manically as well.

**"I see. So now you show your true colours, my king... The full extend of your insanity... of your sadism..."**, she breathed, right before she summoned Tyrfing. **"MY TRUE COLOUR IS CRIMSON!"**, I began to laugh as I rushed at her, holding my hands like claws... into which they turned. Cowered in crimson negative colour which took the shape of claws. And at the very same time, crimson negative energy began to form curved horns on my head and a devil tail at my lower back. They were not truly material, though, for that, I would have to take the whole body **with **his permission... not that this would ever going to happen...

Running past Rumia, I ducked underneath Tyrfign as it was swung towards me, dug my claws into Rumia's right leg, slashed across it. She roared out in pain and fell to the right, but regained her balance and twirled around, swinging Tyrfing with fury.

I began to cackle maniacally again as I ran in a circle around Rumia, picking up speed until I felt the cold breeze become a cold wall, a howl in my ears that was barely audible over my own laughter. I was enjoying this so damn much~ Playing with my queen was so fun~!

Now that we speak of her, she was turning her head, tried to focus on me... not that she was going to anyways. I was the hunter circling it's prey~ Was the calamity about to take it's course~ And she was that what remained, the last resort inside the storm... soon she was going to be just another destroyed life of my past, just another one I broke... erased.

Finally, while continuing to laugh, I jumped. Jumped, landed on the ground, hit the breaks... then used the momentum to jump at her.

And my claws dug into her shoulders. Drew blood. Sweet, sweet blood. And I enjoyed it as the red liquid stained her clothes, enjoyed it as she screamed in her agony. She should scream all she want... I enjoy a dead queen far more than a living one.

**"NO! LET GO!"**, she screamed, tossed left and right, tried to shake me of while she was in her agony. But I would not let her shake me off... I would enjoy the light fading out of her eyes. The dead queen of the night... your blood will stain my face... my maniac smile... would stain my past, present and futu...**ARGH!**

Something wasn't right. My.. my precious... body...wh-why is it... shaking... feeling... f-feeling weak?

I fell off her, rolled onto my back, unable to move, stared into the sky high above me as my body began to twitch violently. _"Nu-uh. Not with me, pal."_ S-So he...! _"That's right. I watched this long enough! I HAVE ENOUGH OF THIS! OF YOU... AND OF THE NIHILISM! SCREW IT!" _**"D-damn you... Ch-Chôzen... yo...you don't know what you... are about to leave back!"**

_"I don't care! Screw you and your insanity! Screw the nihilism! I don't want it anymore...!" _My left hand began to move... move without my command! He... he was controlling it! It slowly rose from the ground... twitched... and came closer to my face. **"NO! NO! I WON'T ALLOW YOU TO TAKE IT OFF!"**, I roared, began to fight against him.

This was the last I was going to allow him. To take that off, for which he has fought so long... for which he has longed for so long... I wasn't going to let this end! He was so incredibly easy to overcome as long as he was indifferent! I would not allow him to regain his emotions! To hell with his emotions!

_"To hell with you, I'd say! Now GIVE! ME! BACK! MY! BODY!" _**"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"**

Suddenly, my feet moved. My body moved, even though I tried to stop it, to prevent it from doing anything... but it didn't stop moving. All that remained in my control was my right arm, with which I tried to stop my body... but to no avail. He was in charge again... he was pushing me back...

...I have to use his weakness! I cannot allow him to have **MY** body again!

I used all my power to use the hand that was left to me... the only body part I had still control of... and with all my power, I turned my hand around, until my palm was pointing towards my own face. I struggled against him, re-activated the claw on my right hand, which had vanished when he went into control again... and then, pulled my arm up, the claw digging into my own flesh. My own face. To use his weakness: Pain.

_End of Insanity's PoV_

* * *

><p><em>Chôzen Gekido's PoV<em>

It hurt. Stung. Burnt. But I did not flinch as he began to claw on my own face. I had enough of him, Insanity. He was thinking he was higher than everything, put himself over god. I cannot allow such a thing. I am me, and that's all there is to it! I don't give a damn about anything around me! I AM CHÔZEN GEKIDO! NOT THE NIHILIST! NOT THE MADMAN! I AM ME! AND THAT! IS ALL! THERE IS! TO IT!

"Chôzen..." Hearing the weak groan, I moved my gaze to where Yukari laid. While this meant that Insanity saw her as well, I did not care. We were still fighting over control, with him banished into my right hand, which was still trying to claw my face apart.

Yukari, though slowly, lifted her left arm, extended it towards me. It was shaking, trembling. It was obvious that the sukima was weak... and so was I, to be honest. I was not Insanity. He could handle so many things so much better than me... but with a price: He was insane, after all. Taming him seemed impossible, using him no option. He was the enemy inside my own body... and yet I knew, that I would have to rely on him. Trust him.

Suddenly, a gap opened in between me and the sukima, a sword falling out of it. It was a simple sword, just a silver blade, a silver hilt, nothing special. A regular sword. "It's... dangerous outside... take this... with you...", snickered Yukari weakly.

Even though she was weak, she still joked around.

"T-take this... and defeat her. S-seal her. Do it for... G-gensokyo... f-for me...but...", Yukari fell flat onto her face, all power drained from her. "...mostly for her... Do it, Chôzen... Do not... regret... at the end.", was the last the sukima managed to whisper... before her eyes closed again and she was out cold.

Letting my eyes travel over to the sword, I was not careful enough for a second and growled out in pain as the claw dug deeper into my right cheek. Focusing mainly on pushing Insanity back, which was quite a problem now, since he was more powerful than ever, due to being free for a while, I nontheless managed to stumble over to the sword.

I fell onto my knees aside it, my left, shaking hand reaching for it. Just in that moment, the claw let go of my face, lashed for my left hand, dug into it, causing me to scream out in pain... and before I knew... everything was going black again...

_End of Chôzen's PoV_

* * *

><p><em>Insanity's PoV<em>

How dare he! How dare he to interfere with **MY** dance with **MY** queen! At least I showed him! I showed him what happens if he interferes! He's now back there, in the darkest part of the mind that inhabits this body, licking his wounds! Serves him right!

As I experimentally moved my body, I watched from out of the corner of my eyes how Rumia rose from the ground, a deep scowl on her face. Seems like she's pissed off... which amuses me, really. It will make the following battle so much more painful, bloody and enjoyable~!

And look~! Chôzen even got me a nice weapon~! This sword won't do long, but hey... it will fulfill it's purpose, of that I am sure.

**"Looks like you got some problems, my king... are you completely back?"**, growled Rumia. **"Oh, I am just there for you, don't worry. We'll be going to be all alone again for this final part of the dance... how sad that it was interupted before."**, I chuckled.

**"Indeed quite sad. But that is over now, I believe. So let us dance then... this time, truly for the last time."** **"On that, you can bet, my queen."**

_~ Music change: Labyrinth of Touhou - Dark a Liar ~_

Rumia rose Tyrfing to her side, extended it towards the heaven then... and crimson lightning struck it. **"I should thank you, Chôzen Gekido, my precious king... Thanks to you, Tyrfing has chosen to awake finally! The blade of bloodlust is finally unsealed!"**, roared Rumia as she swung Tyrfing down.

A wave of red lightning rushed towards me, so I jumped out of the way. And as I landed I took in the changes in Tyrfings appearance for the first time. It was a big blade, very special in shape. It had a crimson glowing hilt, representing screaming dragon heads.

The blade of the sword was black, big and very broad. Instead of a normal tip, the blade made a half-circle at the upper end, then went over into the tip. Inside the half-circle were several sharp fangs, fangs of a true beast. Around the blade, along the sharp sides, were red lines. Near the half-circle, the large sword had a crimson cross on both sides of the black blade.

A crimson-glowing, black chain wrapped around the cross-guard, curled around the golden hilt and left barely enough place for her to hold it with her two hands. The chain went over onto her right arm and curled around it, before it reached her chest. There, it curled once around her waist, then went over to her chest... right to the spot where her heart was located.

It looked exactly like the blade the skeleton-guardian in the ruins of sleeping armageddon had held in his right hand… Tyrfing, the blade of bloodlust… this was the same weapon. Tyrfing, the sword of bloodlust, the chains curling around her arm the same the skeleton was carrying… the shackles of bloodlust. Rumia was the carrier of bloodlust. Nanatsu no Taizai was the carrier of the seven deadly sins. And Chôzen was the carrier of guilt. Their fates had been intertwined all along.

Rumia's and **MY **fate had been connected all along. She was indeed the queen I had searched for. She was my queen.

The only difference in between the sword the guardian had been carrying, and the sword Rumia carried now, was a hole near the tip of Tyrfing…. The spot the shard, which was now inside my heart, was missing.

Our fates had been connected by more than just shackles. Our fates are connected by more than just shackles.

…This is going to be so much damn fun!

"**Come then, my queen! Come and let us have fun!"**, I roared, charging at her. I will enjoy every second~… that, I promise!

Rumia rose Tyrfing, blocked my slash… the only thing preventing my sword, which was nothing more than a regular sword without any legend around it, from breaking some negative energy I infused into it… barely enough to prevent it from breaking. But after all, I don't want to negate my precious queen, after all~

I jumped away from Rumia, throwing some negative energy at her, which she deflected with the broad side of Tyrfing, before dancing around a second orb of negative energy, after which she threw one of the purple and black flames at me, which I managed to slash apart.

She rushed at me, jumped towards me. Still in midair, our swords clashed. She turned Tyrfing, tried to hit me with it, but as I turned my own blade as well, the hilts blocked each other and prevented her from slashing me with Tyrfing from our current position… even though it ment I wouldn't be able to slash her like this as well.

We pulled back, retreated. I rolled backwards, then landed on my feet on the ground, while Rumia stayed in midair, rising Tyrfing above her head… before it was hit once more with crimson lightning. She smirked…. Before a shocked expression began to appear on her face.

Slowly, she turned to her gaze to her sword. At the spot where the shard was missing gathered crimson energy… which remained instable, began to charge up without being controlled… and went over into Rumia's arm, leaving back burned spots and gashes in her arm.

She cried out in pain as she swung her sword towards me, crimson energy rolling past me… I didn't need to avoid. She hadn't even aimed.

"**Aw, my poor queen was hurt."**, I teased, enjoying the wild, enraged expression of utter fury on her face. That was how I liked her… wild, untamed, raging. The terror of the night, queen of the deepest darkness…. Rumia Gekido… Gekido, named like me…

She rushed towards me again, her slash aimed at my neck. She didn't hit me, but nontheless managed to throw me off balance… which he used again.

My left hand began to move on it's own, got a hold of my neck and began to tighten around it… he was tying to make me unconciousness by suffocating me, huh?

Ignoring my left hand, I charged at Rumia. Before he would manage to push me back, I would at least enjoy the final moment with my queen… the final act. Death. Final Act – Dead Queen of mine… This sounds like a very good act, to be honest… my favourite act, I'd say!

Rumia was unprepared as I let go of the sword, let it fall to the ground. And so, she was unable to defend herself as I reached her, put my hand onto her face… and whispered it. **"Negate my queen." "NOOOO!"**, she yelled, her body slowly beginning to fade away. _"I won't allow it!" _**"WHAT?"**

He interfered with me again… he and that stupid renegade soul of his. He willed my mouth open, the flame entering it… I felt how the reverse power flew through me.. and before I knew, Rumia was fading in again, though she seemed to be in some state of shock, unable to move.

And then, pain shot through my body again. He was gaining power… was pushing me back again. It was going black slowly… everything was turning black… but… as long… as I can… hold my ground…

The hand let go of my neck, descended… then balled into a fist… and hit me against my neck… pushing my larynx into my throat… cutting my air off… and caused me to faint.

**That he would go as far as that…!**

_End of Insanity's PoV_

* * *

><p><em>Chôzen's PoV<em>

As soon as he was gone, I immediately reached for my neck, began to search for my larynx… and as soon as I found it and got a hold of it, I pulled it out of my throat.

Gasping for air, I found myself coughing. Damn him… I had to take extreme measures, just because of him! But at least I got him now… he had that one coming! Now… now that I am in complete control again… it is time to carry out Yukari's request. Regardless of him. He would not interfere again… I had just about enough of him.

I, still one hand on my throat as it felt quite uncomfortable after the blow, bowed and reached for the sword… this time, able to touch it without Insanity interfering. I took it, swung it around experimentally. I am not good at fighting with swords... Insanity may be able to handle it somewhat... I cannot. But still... I have no other tool at hand.

Extending my arm towards Rumia, which was still frozen in shock, I aimed my sword at her chest... and then, charged negative energy into it. I took a step back... and then, ran towards her.

**"I WON'T ALLOW YOU TO KILL HER! SHE'S MINE!"** My right hand let go of the sword, rushed up and began to claw my face again. But I ignored it, continued my charge, the sword guided by my left hand. It was shaking a little, but I didn't care... I just need to get her. One clean strike...

Suddenly, she blinked, realized I was charging at her just a second later... then jumped into the air. The claw on my right hand became stronger... but I wouldn't let him win again.

I went into my knees, then pushed myself off the ground, aiming the sword still at Rumia. **"WHAT?"**, she shrieked, rose her arms to defend herself...

...and her scream became silent as my sword pierced her chest. Looking down to her chest, she looked shocked at the blade that missed her heart about two or three centimeters.

_~ Music stop ~_

**"W-why... my... my king? Ain't I... g-good enough for... y-you?"**, she whispered sadly.

"It's not that... I like you... Really like you... You could even say I fell for you...", I muttered, feeling sadness... Insanity's control on my right hand fading away. **"...I see. Then please... have no regrets at the end, my king..."**, she whispered into my ear. "...I will, for you...", I replied... before she slowly put her arms around me. **"Then please do whatever you need to..."**

For a moment, I had pity for her. For a moment, I wanted to have her at my side. But before I could even think of the future I would have if I took the opportunity to spare her life... Mana appeared from behind her. I looked sadly at her... but she nodded with a serious expression. I slowly put some space in between Rumia and me... and looked the angel of death a last time into her crimson eyes. She seemed somewhat relucant, sadness as well in her eyes.

**"We... we're going to see each other again, won't we, my king?"**, she asked... and I nodded. She nodded as well... She didn't even refuse in any way as Mana reached for her hair, pulled out a amulet... and tied it to Rumia's hair.

"This is going to hurt a bit...", murmured Mana, right before she tied the knot.

And in the very same second, Rumia moved her arm, hit Mana in the stomach, flung the miko away. Rumia screamed in pain, threw her head around as her whole body began to shine black from within.

"Let us go... There is nothing to see here anymore. She won't remember much, anyways.", sighed Yukari, putting a hand onto my shoulder. "Alright.", I sighed, turned away from Rumia. Yukari nodded, then opened a gap. "Let's head back to that nightsparrows cart... The drinks are on me.", sighed the sukima, before she walked into a gap.

Mana, having recovered from that blow, nodded, then walked past me into the gap as well. I sighed another time, then went to walk into the gap as well...

...but before I entered, I turned around a last time, glanced at her.

Rumia Shisô, my queen, was no longer. No bloodthirsty youkai queen of the darkness...

...all that was left was an unconciousness young, blonde-haired girl with a red amulet in her hair.

_"Rumia Shisô... I hope you can forgive me one day... me, and Insanity. We've not been very nice to you... and even though our hearts were connected for a short moment... I cut that connection."_

_"...I hope we will meet again..."_

* * *

><p><em>Present, Gekido-Taizai House - Guestroom<em>

"**I can't believe she really forgot me."**, murmured Insanity in my head. _**"Me neither... I guess she forgot most of that which happened right before her sealing..."**_"I guess.", I replied.

We were standing above Rumia, the sleeping angel of death, which lay on the bed inside our guest room. She was barely wearing anything, her bandages covering her body. Merely some hours had passed since our fight...

**"It's funny how 600 years have passed... and yet nothing has changed. And yet everything." **"Yeah. Quite funny how everything is the same... and yet everything is different... We are still the same... and yet someone different. And with we, I mean us three... and Rumia... and Nanatsu.", I sighed.

_**"And it is kinda funny, how sealing Rumia started the recent events... Sealing Rumia caused us to abandon the nihilism for a second time... and turn back to the outside world, to get Nanatsu back into our lives... While we still don't know what the cause for our amnesia was... we finally know how Rumia fits into this... and why we went into the outside world..."**_

"Indeed...", I whispered, put the tray with food next to Rumia onto the nightstand. Then, I looked at her again. "Sleep well... my angel... my queen.", I breathed, before I left the room... left her in the darkness.

...as I left the room, crimson eyes opened slowly.

* * *

><p><em>And so ends the fight of Insanity... this time, for real. The darkness is sealed. Rumia Shisô now a young girl... and Chôzen about to leave Gensokyo for Nanatsu no Taizai. And that is, how the two women came into his life, how I-NB came to be...<em>

_...but wait! We still don't know how Chôzen last his memories! ...but we are nearing, aren't we? We come closer to the present... or at least, the event unfolding the present._

_That's all I have to say, I guess. Worked my ass off on this... After all, this update was originally intended to be one with the former one. _

_Very well then... If I forgot anything to mention, or at least something like that, PM me or leave a review._

_Until the next update! _

_So long!_


	15. 12 The monk goes to sleep! Forevermore!

_**SorrowfulReincarnation: **__And so, here we are again~_

_...wait a second, I said that sentence before, didn't I? ...whatever! Welcome to the new installment of "0-Negative Memory"! And quite a strange one at that~ hehehe~_

_It's about our favorite monk, Byakuren Hijiri..._

_...wait a second, what do you mean, but Byakuren was sealed? Of course she was! But who said Chôzen didn't have a hand in that? I said his past is intertwined with that of Gensokyo... merely the past of Gensokyo is basically his. With the small difference, that he had he had not experienced the last 300 years... _

_I like Byakuren Hijiri... she's too much of a sweet and caring character for someone not to like her... however, I always found it complicated to write her... without her becoming too much OOC. Thus, I spent a lot time reading her profile on touhouwiki, as well as reading fanfictions which involve her... and I must say, though I like her and all... I learned quite a few things about her I didn't know until yet... and those things helped me to characterize her better. So here I am, writing Byakuren for the very first time... and I hope it is as good as I hope~_

_**Flame-Soul: **__Byakuren... fufufufufu... She's cute... *perverted humm*_

_**Chôzen: **__Byakuren? ...Byakuren Hijiri? ...why don't I remember her?_

_**SorrowfulReincarnation: **__Well, you're about to... and to be honest, when I first began with Negative Bullet, I didn't think of involving her, aside a small chapter, in which she would be introduced... but then, I had a brilliant idea for the Touhou 12 Arc (you remember, at first, I didn't want to write it, but then suddenly started a poll about it, right?)... but for that idea, it was necessary that you met her before. Which is why she's in this chapter~ _

_*Kaito-Kid voice* Ladiiiies aaaaand Gentleman! Behold the chapter about the magician monk of buddhism, Byakuren Hijiri!_

_**Chôzen: **__He's gone nuts._

_**Flame-Soul: **__I guess you could say... *suddenly has Horatio's sunglasses' ...he bereft someone of speech._

_**Small Rumia: **__Is that soYEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAH!_

_**Chôzen: **__...What is this... I don't... even...?_

_...I have no words as for what weird things have happened just now..._

_*suddenly, door bursts open and police comes in*_

_**Policeman A: **__Ha! We finally got you, Kaito Kid!_

_**SorrowfulReincarnation: **__But I am not Kaito Kid!_

_**Policeman B:**__ Yeah, sure, tell that to the judge!_

_*Policemen lead SorrowfulReincarnation away*_

_*Conan Edogawa enters the room*_

_**Chôzen:**__ You knew he is not Kaito Kid, right?_

_**Conan: **__Yeah._

_*Chôzen and Flame-Soul stare at each other with frowns. In the background, Conan shows a trollface*_

_**Conan: **__SorrowfulReincarnation does not own Touhou, Team Shanghai Alice / ZUN does. However, SorrowfulReincarnation does own Chôzen Gekido, the flame-soul, Nanatsu no Taizai and Mana Hakurei, characters he has created._

_**Chôzen & Flame-Soul: **__*Sweatdrop*_

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><p><strong>Chapter 12: The monk goes to sleep ~ forevermore<strong>

"Thank you... thank you... kind monk...", whispered the crying sailor as she stared at the ship I had created. The tears streaming down her face... it were tears of joy. The ghost sailor, the ghost that was renown for capsizing ships... it was crying... crying in joy at the ship I created just for her...

...the palanquin.

**"Byakuren-sama?"**

* * *

><p><em>About 580 years ago, Gensokyo - Myouren Temple on Youkai Mountain (1)<em>

Slowly, I opened my eyes, let them trail through the room. "Byakuren-sama.", repeated Shou, staring uncertain at me. I let my eyes trail over her for a moment... then over Ichirin and Unzan... and finally stopped them on her. Minamitsu Murasa... she was no longer the ghost sailor that tried to sink ships in her anger... had turned her back to her grudge... because of me...

"Byakuren-sama?", asked Shou uncertain, causing me to close my eyes again and smile warmly at the girls that lived with me. "Uhm... Bya-Byakuren... I kinda don't like that perverted smile you have there...", whispered Minamitsu towards me. "Who's smile is perverted, Mini-chan?", I asked her, my grin becoming even wider.

"N-no ones, Byakuren.", chuckled Minamitsu uneasily.

"Byakuren-sama, could you please stop smiling so... uhm... Byakuren-sama could you please return your attention to our guests?", asked Shou, reminding me of the guests that sat opposed to me. "Oh my!", I exclaimed sheepishly, "I totally forgot about you... that's not like me at all, please excuse my foolish self."

"No worries.", chuckled Yukari Yakumo over the brim of her cup of tea. "And I believe my friends are not offended by your actions as well. Are you?", she asked, turning her head to smile at the female to her left. "Of course not. Byakuren-sama did nothing to offend me~.", smiled Mana Hakurei, a woman in her mid-forties, at me. A very beautiful child, I have to say... It took Shou, Ichirin and Unzan to keep a nose-bleeding Minamitsu Murasa from fondling her.

The other guest, however, did not reply, apparently lost in his own thoughts, as he kept on staring into the cup of tea he held. "What about you?", asked Yukari the male to her right... but he did not notice her, apparently. He seemed... to be sad about something...

"Chôzen?", asked Yukari, causing the male to flinch. "Hm?", he muttered as he turned to the sukima no youkai, the creator of this beautiful land. "Something wrong?", he murmured. "See, he is not offended as well.", chuckled Yukari Yakumo, turning back to me.

"Is something wrong? You seem so downcast.", I asked the male, to which he turned his gaze to me. "Oh... it... it is nothing. I was just... The tea...", he muttered. "Oh? Is the tea not to your liking?", I asked quickly. "No! It... it is not that. Indeed... it is quite well... it just... the taste reminded me of something...", he muttered. "Nanatsu...", he breathed, barely audible.

"Excuse him... he is still a little shaken by recent events.", sighed Yukari, her hand placed on her right shoulder. What I didn't knew then was, that she had a deep scar there, caused by a legendary weapon named Tyrfing... from a fight with her sister, that she and that male had fought against along with Mana Hakurei about 20 years ago.

"Recent?", he growled at Yukari, but the sukima ignored him. "Anyways, what exactly brings you and your friends here into my humble temple, Yukari Yakumo?", I asked the sukima. Yukari smiled widely at that, but quickly pulled out her fan and hid her demonic smile behind it.

"It is a simple request, my dear.", she spoke. "A request?", I asked, smiling at her. Requests... I've accepted so much lately... mostly about Youkai extermination... I was exterminating my own kind... but it was for a better world...

At the very beginning of my "career", I was accepting such requests out of selfishness. Long ago, back in my days that I had been a human... I was a monk, along with my brother, Myouren Hijiri. However... after he died... I became afraid of death... and with that, aging.

I tried anything to avoid aging any further... was trying to deny my death... In the end, I found a way... but it was not in the path of buddhism, which I had dedicated my life to... it was black magic... black magic, that let me lose my humanity... and turned me into a youkai. And still, no one knows... not even those alongside me.

But as Gensokyo's nature applied to magic, it only worked as long as people did not deny me... did not fear me. I feared to lose my power, which was keeping my youth... Would humanity cease to see me was a whole, and reject me as such, my magic would be lost... and so I feared... and avoided telling them that I had become one of those which they hate. Youkai.

Because of that, I began to accept requests. People should not reject me as a whole, so I had to make sure that the balance between Youkai and human was there. And thus, I took on requests which made sure of the prosperity and longevity of Youkai... and at the same time, I took on requests as a youkai exterminator.

However... after I continued a long time to do so... I began to see a light. Youkai slowly began to be accepted by humans... I began to realize the struggle of Youkai in the outside world... and began to honestly realize that Youkai were beings that needed to be helped. I was no longer protecting them out of my own selfishness... I began to understand and keep honor in what I was doing. Because of them... not because of myself.

That one, final request... it showed me the truth. My mission was simple: exterminate a ghost that kept on sinking ships. I went to the sea with my own ship and a crew... but instead of fighting that ghost... I let it capsize my ship... then constructed a new, shining one for that ghost to capsize... the palanquin. It was hers to captain. Minamitsu Murasa, the ghost... she was crying as she took over the new ship, made just for her. Minamitsu Murasa...

...the same one, sitting here with me. Though she had murdered the crew... though no one was around to see how she turned her back on her grudge... I never felt so happy. It was the mission that had shown me... that I needed to continue to make sure that Youkai and human were treated equal. But not out of selfishness... but for them.

It was only shortly after that event that I welcomed the nyuudou Ichirin Kumoi and her companion Unzan to my temple... the temple I am in now, the temple that is halfway up Youkai mountain. (1)

The temple is a temple to the god Bishamonten. In order to gain the trust of the Youkai of the mountain, I appointed a Youkai to serve under the god... Shou Toramaru... and let me tell you, she exceeds at her duties... she's a little... forgetful... though...

"Kyaaah! Were is my spoon? I swear it was here!", screamed Shou in just that moment, and with a huge sweatdrop I watched how she flailed around her arms... in the left hand, she held the spoon...

...until she let go of it and it sailed across the table and hit Mini-chan in the forehead, knocking her over. Pun intended.

"ow...", groaned the ghost as she sat up, showing us that the spoon actually stuck in her forehead, right in between her eyes. "Shou...", hissed Minamitsu, her right eye twitching. "Ah! There's my spoon! Murasa, why did you take it?", growled Shou, reaching over the table to pull her spoon out of Murasa's forehead... until Minamitsu grabbed her by her shirt and pulled her over the table.

"I didn't take ya spoon, mate! Ya threw it at me, ya lousy landlubber!", snarled Minamitsu, pulling the wooden spoon out of her forehead with her free, left hand... and then broke it in two parts. "Ya're cannonfodder now..."

I simply sighed as Minamitsu and Shou began to brawl, a cloud of dust surrounding them, ocassionally giving a peek at how Shou bit Minamitsu into the shoulder, or how Minamitsu pulled on Shou's hair... or hit her with her ladle... and once almost hit her with her anchor, which she always carried on her back.

I watched as Ichirin stood up, Unzan following her by hovering in behind her. "I go and buy new dishes at the village. I don't think much will be left once those two are done.", explained Ichrin with an uneasy smile, and left after I nodded.

It was no surprise to me, though, that Yukari Yakumo was cheering, encouraging the fight, while Mana tried to stop them... that child surely was way too nice for her own good, wasn't she? If she wouldn't live the shintoism, I would've asked her to dedicate herself to the buddhism, like I do.

But it was then that something caught my eye. The male... he just sat there, staring out of a window into the blue heaven... an emotionless... and yet sad expression on his face. So there was something wrong with him...

"Hey. Mind telling me what's wrong?", I asked him as I sat closer to him. He didn't flinch, instead, he turned his gaze towards me... sadness now evident on his face. "Usually I would not.", he murmured. "Usually, I am not even interested in my own past... much less that of others... In fact, usually, nothing at all interests me, but..."

"The path of nihilism, huh?", I asked him, to which he showed me a shocked expression of disbelief. "Y-you know...?", he asked me. "I have followed the path of buddhism... I still follow it. Thus, I am very well aware of other paths that are there...", I smiled. He nodded shortly, seemed still confused and shocked... but he continued.

"Fine then. I am the chosen one, the one that carries it, the nihilism... You know what that means, don't you?", he asked me. "Yes, I do. You are the one to end, right?", I asked him, still a smile upon my lips. He nodded. "I don't know for sure, but... I think something went wrong. Something that was not meant to happen... I feel emotions.", he whispered.

"For a long time... after I finished the path... I felt nothing, just like it was said about the path... But then...", he turned his gaze away from me, "...she came into my life. And from there on, I began to feel again. Emotions resurfaced, memories began to stick around instead of rushing past me, never ever to be remembered... In fact, I remember nothing of that what happened after I left the goddess that trained me... a little more than 18 000 years ago..."

"Who is she?", I asked. "Nanatsu no Taizai, the shinigami of seven sins.", he replied, turning his gaze back to me. "When she arrived in my life, things began to matter again. My memories became colorful, leaves were green again... everything had a color again, just like in before the path's final moment. Before I laid the mask of no more future onto my face and let it become one with me..."

"So she made you happy?", I questioned, to which he nodded. "As strange as that may sound, considering I was emotionless... yeah. I became friends with her... began to get attracted by her... and later, married her... and went with her to the outside world... But after...", he stopped all of sudden.

"After what?", I asked. "No. I told you enough.", he muttered, all sadness suddenly vanishing from his face, turning into a cold stare... and then, into an emotionless expression of utter indifference. His self-defense activated, huh?

"Ah, I see you two are already getting familiar.", smiled Yukari Yakumo all of sudden, her attention drawn away from the fight in between Minamitsu and Shou... which Mana Hakurei still tried to stop.

"Could you explain that?", I asked Yukari. "Simple. I'd like to ask you to take him in for a while. He has no own home and stuff aside that which he wears... a proper home would do him good, even if only for a while... and then there is what you have just seen. Until recently, he was alright... at first a nihilist, after he met Nanatsu no Taizai a caring being... and after he seperated from her, he became a nihilist again. Everything seemed fine with him... but then, after we fought my sister... he kinda..."

Yukari was cut short when the male suddenly began to cackle to himself in an evil manner, his head repeatedly jerking to the right, an insane smile upon his lips, his eyes wide and his irises small, now crimson in color. He began to repeatedly scratch his right leg with his right hand, scratched until he drew blood... and then, suddenly, the red color of his eyes faded, became green again... and then he fell over, whimpering to himself.

"...that. He kinda went insane... he begins to claw himself at the strangest times, other times he goes into depressions... starts talking to himself... and then, suddenly, is nihilistic again.", finished Yukari, a worried expression on her face as she continued to watch her friend, which was still whimpering to himself.

"I see...", I spoke. "He is, however, not possessed by an evil spirit or such... I asked a special person to make sure to look if he was...", sighed Yukari.

* * *

><p>Mima Hakurei sneezed all of sudden and hit her head on a ceiling beam of the Hakurei Shrine.<p>

* * *

><p>"I see...", I repeated, looking at the whimpering male on the ground... he was now trying to sit upright and stop the bleeding with his right hand, the same hand that had caused the bleeding in the fist place. "Alright, he can stay. I hope that Bishamonten can help him...", I sighed, standing up.<p>

I felt Yukari's eyes on me as I walked through the room and opened up a cupboard on the other side of the room, pulling out bandages and some alcohol to disinfect that wound he had caused himself. "I believe we will need a lot of this for him...", I muttered as I returned to Yukari and kneeled before her friend, beginning to bandage that wound of his, which he relucantly allowed.

"Is he a Youkai or a human?", I asked Yukari. "Don't ignore me like that...", he growled, yelping in pain as I pulled the bandage tighter. "Y-youkai.", he whimpered. "hm? A youkai?", I asked, blinking. "A youkai, and you're in pain from such a small wound?"

"That is what we don't understand either... ever since the fight with Rumia, my sister, he has turned into a weakling... he is constantly changing in between three personalities: his nihilistic personality, a second personality which is totally weak and broken, and that third, insane one...", sighed Yukari.

"I see...", I muttered, placing a hand on the bandage. "Shou.", I exclaimed then, standing up and turning towards the fighting girls, which immediately stopped. "Yes, Lady Hijiri?", they both exclaimed, sitting on their knees before me.

Shou had a bleeding wound under her right eye, a swollen lip which was bleeding as well, as well as several wooden knives sticking in her right shoulder, and one in her back. Minamitsu, on the other hand, didn't look better. She had a wooden spoon in her throat, her own ladle pierced through her right hand, several bloody spots on her white sailor uniform, as well as a black eye... and where was...? "Mini-chan, where is your anchor?", I asked, to which the sailor suddenly smirked very self-pleased.

"Shou... at first, you and Minamitsu are going to threat your wounds... IN PEACE. And then, we two will have to meditate... I need to think over something.", I instructed. Shou nodded furiously, as did Minamitsu. Though I wasn't looking at them. I looked at Mana Hakurei, Yukari's friend and Yukari Yakumo. The three of them were in behind Shou and Minamitsu, and for some strange reason, stared with wide eyes at Shou's back. I sent them a questioning frown, to which they all went pale.

"Will do, Hijiri-sama!", shouted Shou, standing up, turning around, running for the door to go to her room... at that moment, my eyes went wide as well. I sent Minamitsu a disbelieving frown of utter shock, but the sailor ghost, though being beaten up badly, stood there, a proud smirk all across her face, before she turned around, picking her nose. "Served her right~!", sung the sailor, before she limped away, leaving us with shocked expressions.

"I think we found the anchor.", muttered Yukari. Mana and Yukari's friend began to nod their heads, while I merely put a hand onto her mouth. "Oh Bishamonten, please make me unsee what I just saw...", I whispered. "Looks like Murasa's anchor...", Yukari, Chôzen and Mana suddenly put on sunglasses as Yukari spoke, "...hit up Shou's ass." It was then that the window suddenly broke, and a fairy in white clothes burst in, wearing black sunglasses as well. "YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAH!" (2)

I sweatdropped at Lily White.

* * *

><p>It was a while later that Shou and I sat on the ground, meditating. I was thinking about that friend of Yukari's... by the way, she left hours ago, along with Mana Hakurei, while he stayed. I finally even learned his name. Chôzen Gekido. He sure was a walking enigma... Something I don't understand... something nobody truly will understand, I believe.<p>

But at the moment, I tried to find out what was wrong with him. Was meditating to understand his strange behaviour. If it wasn't possessed... and wasn't like this normal... was ocassionally talking with himself...

...hey. Wait a second...? Talk... with himself?

I opened up my eyes. I knew it now. This was the truth. I... I've been stupid to not think of it at the very first moment! "Shou!", I called out to the meditating Tiger-Youkai... only to find her already by the door. "I know it, Hijiri-sama! I know what's wrong with him!", exclaimed Shou proudly.

This surprised me a little... but I smiled. "Good. I do as well. So now, let's head to his room!", I exclaimed, and Shou nodded.

We went through the corridors of the temple, went around three corners... his room was at the end of the corridor. "By the way, Shou, what exactly do you think of the fact that he has a split personality, caused by the path of nihilism breaking apart?", I asked the tiger youkai eventually... but as she didn't reply, I turned around... and found her gone. I sweatdropped.

"I LOST HIJIRI-SAMA! MURASA IS GOING TO KILL ME!", roared her voice... two stories above me. I sweatdropped. Poor Shou... though she is actually nice and bright... she's also very good at losing things... How unfortunate she can be...

But there was no time for me to get her... It was necessary to talk with Chôzen Gekido now, before it is too late. So I turned back to his room, laid a hand onto the door and...

"HOW AM I GOING TO TELL HIM NOW, THAT HE IS NOT CHÔZEN GEKIDO! AW MAN!", roared Shou's voice above me... maybe it was for the better that she lost me... otherwise, she would've tried to tell him the wrong thing... while she isn't that far from the truth... well, he is Chôzen Gekido... just split apart...

I opened the door finally and entered the room. "Excuse me, may I enter?", I asked, looking around the room... only to find him nowhere. He was not in his room... but as I saw the open window... I understood.

* * *

><p>"So you know, huh?", he asked all of sudden, not even turning around to me. I nodded. "Yes... yes I do.", I replied, walking over to him, sitting down aside him on the roof of the temple, staring into the sunset. He sat aside me, his legs pulled in with his arms around them, his head resting on his knees.<p>

"You know...", he started after a while, "...the last time I watched the sunset with a person, and felt something... that person almost killed me afterwards... even though it was an accident."

* * *

><p>Mima roared in fury as she looked in anger at her magic book. She just sneezed on it! What the hell was wrong with her? She, an evil spirit, getting sick? How exactly should that be possible?<p>

...well, alright, this was Gensokyo, common sense didn't apply here...

...BUT STILL!

* * *

><p>"You poor guy...", I chuckled uneasily, watched him as he turned his head towards me. "Stop pitying me.", he muttered, before he turned away again.<p>

"Well then... might as well tell you the rest of the story.", he sighed, "...maybe it really will help me." "I'm sure of that.", I encouraged him.

"...alright. I went to the outside world with Nanatsu, my wife. Everything seemed to become better after that... I felt emotions again, more and more... the simple, small things began to interest me... my love to Nanatsu grew... and she got pregnant." I let out a small, excited yelp after that. I was still a female, after all, and such messages always excited me.

"And? Was it a boy or a girl?", I asked him with a big smile. "A stillbirth." My smile was wiped off my face in less than a second. "I... I am sorry...", I whispered. "Don't be. You couldn't know.", he replied, sighing. "I found my wife, crying in a dark room that day. At first, she didn't even react to me... then, she cried and told me... and then, after she began to argue with me, push me away... we seperated. All that... all that is left to me of her...!", suddenly, he began to cry... cry madly. Tears streaming down his face, which he buried in his legs.

He slowly lifted his right hand, turned his palm towards me... and then, all of sudden, the left half of a ring, began to glow green on it... a weak, green glow... "...all that is left of her... of the time with her... is the seal that bonded our love... but it is weak, has ceased to glow as powerful as before... She hates me... I feel it.", he whispered, wiping away his tears, though new ones appeared immediately.

"No... I cannot imagine that she hates you... Why would she..." **"BECAUSE WE RUINED HER LIFE!"** I remained aside him, though his eyes had turned crimson. "And who am I talking to now?", I asked calmly. **"Chôzen Gekido's... Insanity"**, he replied.

**"Chôzen Gekido's Insanity having gained personality after Nanatsu and he seperated, first unleashed by the contact with the path of hatred through Takato Matsuki, gaining power while the path of nihilism continued... seperated from him in the first place when he achieved the nihilism."**, growled the second personality.

"So,is it you what causes him problems?", I asked. **"Indirect."**, he replied. **"...I am not exactly helping him... In fact, he and I have different interests... and for the first time, interestingly, I have the ones with the good end."**, he laughed... before he sighed.

"Could you explain that, mister Insanity?", I asked him, and he chuckled at the name. **"Byakuren Hijiri, the one that wants to unite Youkai and human to live in perfect co-existence...**", he murmured, staring at me from the corner of his eyes.

**"...I want to heal him, make him complete again... while he tries to avoid... because it means he has to meet her again. Nanatsu no Taizai, the one he mourns after. Which is quite ironic, I have to say. While I can't reach my queen, can't be with her... he does not want to be with his queen, though he could."**, chuckled Insanity.

"Queens?", I asked now. **"Our love interests. While Chôzen himself loves Nanatsu no Taizai... I love Rumia Shisô. He could be with his queen if he goes to the outside world and contacts her... but he fears she would reject him officially. I, on the other hand, almost killed my queen in our... let's just say the love we share is fighting and killing in sadistic ways... I cannot be with my queen, Rumia Shisô, because Yukari, Mana Hakurei and my weaker side, Chôzen, had to seal her... she wasn't exactly right in the head."**, he explained. **"Not that Chôzen and I are, huh?"**, he then added with a chuckle while turned towards me.

"I see... So he fears going after her... because he fears she will reject him? Is that what you say?" **"Got that right, Youkai Christ."** I nodded, though frowning at the nickname... he didn't knew of me being a Youkai, right? "And what about his moments of weakness and madness? Is that your doing?" **"Our inner struggle. While I try to take over and bring us in the outside world to meet Nanatsu, so at least he can be with his queen, he struggles against me, tries to prevent me from taking over... and when we clash, we get out of control, which weakens our mind, resulting in the outbreaks of madness."**, he explained.

"What do you personally think? Will Nanatsu no Taizai reject him?" **"I don't know for sure... but from what I know of her, I highly doubt she would... Nanatsu no Taizai is a lost woman... a curse that is upon her... it kinda made her like Chôzen and his path of nihilism... lonely, avoided, insane."** "Curse?"

**"Nanatsu no Taizai is the Shinigami of the Seven Deadly Sins. Thus, she has to slay those who give too much into them, as well as judge over the souls of those... whether they go directly to hell, or get a chance in front of the Yama Shikieiki Yamaxanadu. However, Nanatsu is also fated to carry around the seven sins within her body... she has the seal of the sins on her back... and with that, the incarnation of the seven deadly sins, a blue-skinned, undead woman... when Nanatsu goes within seven steps reach of someone who gives into at least one sin... which is pretty much everybody... the creature slides out of her back. Thus, she wears a kimono, hiding the creature."**

I looked baffled at him... but I felt that he wasn't finished yet. **"...Chôzen himself does not give into any sin, due to the path of nihilism. Thus, Nanatsu no Taizai, which was already attracted to him, spend much time with him, as he was one of those she could be truly social with. You could say their love evolved from a childish crush... Nanatsu crushed on him because he was the one the incarnation did not react to... and later it evolved into real, genuine attraction... and love."**

I nodded slowly... still not completely having processed that which I just heard. **"Basically, what I am trying to say is: Nanatsu no Taizai is a lost woman, which tries to hold onto everything she has around her, tries to identify herself with it. Chôzen was her main hold... should he be gone, she would not really have anything she holds onto... and thus, isn't able to identify herself with anything."**

"That makes sense.", I replied, and he nodded. **"Yes. Now, to finish this little tale of his... after they seperated, Chôzen returned to Gensokyo, walked once more the path of nihilism... thinking it was finally complete now, the love left behind as the last emotion. I managed to grow because of his stupidity... he met Mima Hakurei, the evil spirit of the one that has sacrificed herself to create Gensokyo, now a powerful evil spirit that has regained a physical appearance... she almost killed him in a sparring, though she swears it was an accident. I kinda don't believe her, but he doesn't care whether it was an accident or not."**

I rose an eyebrow, but he just sighed and continued. **"...and only recently, we met Rumia Shisô. I fought her to death, almost lost, then almost killed her... and she was sealed. However, during the fight... the nihilism has totally failed. And now, Chôzen is somewhere in between regaining the nihilism, as well as doubting it. He doesn't believe it is there anymore, while it tries to return... thus, he changes in between being a whimp, which he was before the path of nihilism, and being the nihilist he was after he finished the path of nihilism."**

"That explains a lot... thank you.", I thanked him properly, bowing in front of him. **"Pah. No need to thank me. I am merely a madman, after all."**, he huffed. I chuckled at that, then took a few steps back, leaving him to think... but stopped once more, just staring at him... which he noticed.

**"Is there still something you want to know, Byakuren Hijiri, the human that dreams to unite Youkai and humans?"**, he asked. So he didn't know... phew! "You...", I muttered, unable to hold back the smile. "...I didn't think Insanity could be this talkative... and even cooperative!"

At that, he flinched... and then, suddenly, went red. "It... Hey, why am I back in charge!" I chuckled as I heard Chôzen himself speaking again, his eye color back to green. He turned to me, his face still red. "W-well... I guess you could say... I am interested in you, Byakuren.", he murmured.

At that, I went red as well. I quickly rose my hands to the height of my shoulders, held them in front of my body. "A-ah... You know, I feel flattered by that and do think you are pretty handsome, but.. I am a monk! I can't g..." "N-Not like that!", he muttered. "You certainly are a striking woman, very beautiful and intelligent... but... what I meant is... I am interested in your personality... your beliefs...your intention of uniting humans and Youkai... Even though you are a human, you live with Youkai, treat them like humans... I wish I could understand that.", he murmured.

I chuckled. _"Oh, if you only knew I am no human!"_, I thought. "One day, you might understand as well, Chôzen Gekido... feel free to come to me to understand... I will do my best, and so will the others and Bishamonten himself... we will all do our best in helping you understand how we can view the humans and Youkai as equals... how we want to unite them.", I smiled. He nodded at that... and then, without another word, turned back to the sunset... and I left him there... left him to himself... to his privacy. Out of respect.

* * *

><p><em>about 550 years ago, Gensokyo - Myouren Temple on Youkai Mountain (Night)<em>

"How?", I muttered standing there at the window, staring in disbelief at the crowd of humans, which held their weapons and lanterns towards the temple, shouting out their loud cries of disblief. "YOU LIAR! COME OUT THERE!", shouted a man at the very front.

"YOU ARE ONE OF THEM AS WELL!", shouted a woman right after him. "Byakuren-sama?" I almost jumped into the air as I heard Shou in behind me. I turned to her. "Y-yes?", I asked her carefully. "What... what do they mean?", asked Shou.

I stared at my girls... Shou... Ichirin... Mini-chan... and the males... Unzan and Chôzen. They all stood there with questioning eyes... asking the question that Shou just asked. But as I didn't reply... Chôzen walked past me. **"I have enough of this."**, growled Insanity, as he opened the door, left the temple... and as the girls followed him... I just sighed, held back the tears... and followed them.

"THERE SHE IS! THE LIAR!", roared the man, pointing at me. **"WHAT'S THIS RUCKUS ABOUT? CAN'T I GET MY FUCKING SLEEP, OR WHAT?"**, roared Insanity, taking a step towards the man... to which the man jumped away, letting go of his torch.

"Y-youkai!", hissed the woman. **"I am? So what? I am even the Insanity of a Youkai! Makes it even better, huh? And should I tell ya what? I AM THE PISSED OFF INSANITY OF A YOUKAI THAT CAN'T GET IT'S FUCKING SLEEP!"** He sure was angry at not having his sleep, huh? But... but what really was important now... how did the humans find out my secret? Even those close around me didn't...

"B-BACK AWAY, YOUKAI! W-we aren't here for you... W-we are here for that w-witch Hijiri!", hissed the woman, not as brave anymore. "Hijiri?", asked Shou, turning towards me. "What did you do to them, Hijiri-sama?", asked Shou. "Don't tell us you don't know!", sneered the man as he returned towards the front of the crowd.

**"Know what? Stop speaking in riddles..."**, snarled Insanity. "That the so called 'Saint Hijiri' isn't a saint! The human that wants to unite Youkai and humans... isn't even a human herself! She's a liar! She just wants us humans to trust your kind, so you can eat us when we don't look!", snarled the woman at the front.

"W-what?", began Minamitsu, breaking into laughter. "C-come on, you must be joking!" The sailor then turned to me. "Come on, Byakuren! Tell them that you're a human, and we all go back to sleep!" I didn't reply... Instead, I lowered my head in shame. "H-hijiri?", muttered Minamitsu.

"I am...", I began, taking a few steps forwards. "I am no human. I am indeed a human that has turned into a Youkai long ago... a human that has turned into a Youkai out of fear of death!", I exclaimed, somehow summoning all strength I had.

It went silent after that. Nobody was daring to say anything... they all just stared at me. The humans stared at me with hatred... my girls, Chôzen and Unzan... with shock. "B-but does it really matter if I am human or not?", I shouted. "It doesn't have anything to do with my ideals, my intentions, my beliefs! I am a monk, serving the great Bishamonten, trying to unite humans and Youkai to live in perfect co-existence, rather than killing each other...! It is not necessary for us to kill each other...! We can live together in pea...!" "LIES!"

The shout made me flinch, shattered my build up mask of self-assurance. I took a step back, whimpered. "We should execute her now, before she lures even more into that death trap of hers!", roared the man, taking a step forwards, taking up his torch.

**"Dont you dare to come closer to Lady Hijiri!"**, roared Insanity... but the man continued to ascend the stairs. **"Come any closer and I kill you! You won't touch her, nor do her harm!"**, he screamed. And the man stopped. _"Thank you... Chôzen... Insanity... you... still are on my side?"_

...and then, out of the corner of my eyes, I saw how the man threw his torch at me.

I screamed, lifted my hands to defend myself... but Minamitsu caught the torch with her anchor, ripped it apart in midair. And upon opening my eyes... I had to find that the man that had thrown the torch... was decapitated. Chôzen's Insanity had killed him.

**"Get Hijiri into the temple... I'm gonna hold the line."**, he growled towards Shou, which quickly put a hand onto my shoulder. "This way, Hijiri-sama!", growled the tiger youkai, leading me into the temple, while Minamitsu went to Chôzen's side... the humans storming towards them. Ichirin quickly grabbed my other shoulder, pushed me further int the shrine, while Unzan went to Chôzen's side as well, turned into a gigantic cloud with rosen fists.

"Lady Hijiri, please look forwads!", scolded Ichirin, shoving me into the temple. "Okay, Lady Hijiri, we need to get out of here! Do you know where we could go to?", hissed Ichirin, while she and Shou continued to push me deeper into the temple, the sounds of fighting reaching my ears.

"W-well... no... I...", before I could finish, the large double doors behind us opened up, Minamitsu, Unzan and Chôzen rushing in, with Minamitsu and Chôzen immediately sealing the doors behind them. "Alright. About thirteen of them are dead, but we can't risk killing more... would be a waste.", hissed Chôzen, back to his normal self, pushing his back against the doors.

"Well, mate, ya are sure right about tha'! Those landlubbers won't get to Byakuren anytime soon, though! I rather find mahself kissin' the hobgoblin than failin' Byakuren!", chuckled Minamitsu, back to her usual, bold sailor self. "But it sure is hell out there... those humans... they are the true demons in this world...", growled Chôzen...

...and reminded me.

"I know where to go!", I shouted. "What?", asked Shou confused. "Thank you, Chôzen!", I exclaimed, quickly rushing through the room towards the wooden table. "Mini-chan! Help me here!", I whispered to her, and the sailor nodded. Together, we pushed the table aside... and I quickly went on my knees, knocking on the floor... until I found it.

"Here!", I whispered thriumphantly, slipping a hand underneath the trapdoor, then opened it up. "Down there, everyone!", I hissed, confusing my friends... but they obeyed nontheless, with Minamitsu jumping down first, while Ichirin and Shou climbed down the ladder.

Eventually, Unzan followed Ichirin... and only Chôzen and I remained. "I'll keep them for a second longer. Go down there... You need to flee, after all.", he chuckled. I nodded slowly, then let my legs dangle down. "Hey.. one last question though...", began Chôzen, before I could slide down. I looked up at him.

**"Does Bishamonten forgive murder?"**, he asked. I looked at him in surprise, the sly grin upon his lips... then, I closed my eyes slowly. "No... I don't think he does.", I replied, before I slid down into the trapdoor. **"Huh. Not that I wanted his forgiveness."**, I heard Chôzen's Insantiy chuckle... before I eventually landed in the room beneath.

It was a small, dark room, walls and floor made of grey cobblestone. No light, other than from two torches, filled the room, gave it a kinda dungeon-like appearance. "Byakuren?", asked Minamitsu, looking around questiongly. "Where are we?", she asked.

"My secret room...", I chuckled. "Sometimes, when I need a day off, just to relax... I come here... to visit my old friend." "Old friend?", asked Shou, appearing out of the darkness. "Which old friend lives in such a room?", she added.

"None.", exclaimed Ichirin from the other side of the room, standing next to a giant doorway, build of dark-violet stone, a purple mass swirling inside the doorway. "Where does this portal lead, Lady Hijiri?", she asked me. Before I could reply, there was a loud thumb behind me, and upon turning around, I found Chôzen kneeling on the ground. "Makai.", I informed my friends.

"Makai, huh? The world of demons? What does a saint like yourself do there?", asked Chôzen. "Visit my old friend Shinki, the goddess of Makai.", I explained. "Shinki and I go way back, back to before I even turned into a Youkai. She is one of the few who knew.", I sighed then, walking over to the gateway.

"Once on the other side, we may inform Shinki to destroy the portal... thus, nobody can follow us. It is our escape route." "I see...", muttered Chôzen, stepping closer to the portal. "Then let us not waste time and get out of here, before the humans find out about this room. I sealed the trapdoor... but who knows how long that stops them?", he murmured, and I nodded.

One after another, we went through the gate... I was the last one to step through. And just as I did, I heard their voices above me. "I found a trapdoor! She must be down there!" I let out a loud sigh... maybe the humanity... and the youkai... maybe they were not ready to unite just yet. But the time will come... and I will try. For everyone... not just for me...

...my decision was made that moment.

* * *

><p>I was immediately welcomed by Makai's distinct smell... the smell I loved. One would guess the world of demons would smell awful... but the air was pretty. Was beautiful. While Makai seemed like a gigantic cave, always night, strange trees made of what appeared to be glass and colorful orbs... the air here was pure. Pure like after a thunderstorm...<p>

"Hijiri." I turned to my right to smile at my long-time friend Shinki, the goddess of Makai, which flew there, her ten black wings with the crimson lines shining in behind her... she was gigantic. But I knew this was just a reflection of her... the real Shinki was inside her palace.

"Shinki.", I greeted her back. "I already heard it. The portal is closed.", murmured Shinki, looking over at Shou. "Thank you.", I sighed in relief, and the goddess nodded. "It is a shame you were found out. I really believed you would achieve your goal to unite humans and Youkai..." The goddess let out a sigh.

"Anyways, all of you are welcome at my palace, Pandaemonium. Hijiri... you and your girls may feel free to stay as long as they need to..." "That won't be necessary." Shinki rose an eyebrow at me. "Shinki... please meet me at Hokkai."

I watched with sadness how Shinki's eyes widened. "Bya-byakuren... this.. this cannot be... you... you cannot be...!" "I am. I am sure, Shinki...", I whispered. Shinki continued to stare at me... but then, she nodded. "If that is what you wish, Byakuren... but please, think of it a second time! Are you really...?" "I said I am.", I sighed, turning towards my girls. "We head to Hokkai.", I told them, then flew past them.

"Hokkai?", asked Chôzen as he catched up to me, the others right behind him. "A place, tucked away in a corner of Makai.", was all I replied. "...a quite peaceful spot.", I added, though... causing all of them to frown in confusion.

* * *

><p>When we reached Hokkai... Shinki already flew aside it... a worried, sad expression on her face... because she knew. She knew what the others did not... not yet.<p>

But as we finally came to a stop in front of Shinki... I knew it was time to tell them. "At first... thank you for letting us in, Shinki. We had nowhere else to go.", I began, bowing before my old friend. "A pleasure, as usual, Byakuren.", murmured Shinki, looking down at me, until I ended my bow, was on the same height as her again.

It remained silent for a long while... The others kinda waited for something to happen, and I waited for the right words to appear before me... they did not. "So... when will you tell them?", asked Shinki, narrowing her eyes at me. She hated it, when someone kept some details from others. Shinki hated liars... liars and secretiveness.

"What does she mean?", asked Ichirin behind me... to which I bit onto my own lip, preventing myself from crying... I was holding back the tears, lowered my head...

"Girls... Unzan... Chôzen...", I began, for some strange reason in between smiling and crying, "...it has been a great time. With all of you." "L-lady Hijiri?", I heard Ichirin mutter... but I needed to be strong... and face them!

As I turned around, revealing my pathetic try at holding my tears back to them, they all gasped, Shou, Minamitsu and Ichirin quickly trying to reach me, to comfort me... but Chôzen and Shinki jumped into their way. "Get away from her.", growled Shinki. "For some strange reason, I think the worst you can do is, if you go to her now.", murmured Chôzen. They both then glanced over their shoulders at me... and I nodded.

"It... it has been great with you...", I muttered, swallowing down the knot in my throat, "...but I am afraid our paths will seperate right here..." "What do you mean, Byakuren?", shouted Murasa, trying to get past Shinki, but the goddess threw her back.

"... Listen... it is my purpose to help Youkai and human to unite, to accept each other. I have dedicated my life to Bishamonten... I try to show others his will. However... it is not time for humans and Youkai to unite just now... there is still too much of a gap between them... trying to fill it now will only cause disasters... tragedies... unnecessary deaths. This evening, thirteen innocents had to die because of such a feud."

As I spoke, I looked at Chôzen... who just sighed. "I didn't want to kill them, alright? They tried to kill me first!", he growled. "That does not matter... I do not hate you for what you have done, Chôzen Gekido.", I whispered, before I turned back to all of them.

"What I am trying to say is... I am heading to sleep... to sleep until Youkai and humans are ready to accept each other as equals. But until that moment... centuries will pass... and my presence in those centuries would only do harm. This is... this is why I have decided to seal myself away."

"WHAT?", roared Minamitsu, once again trying to get past Chôzen and Shinki... to no avail. Seeing her like that... it hurt me. "HIJIRI, YOU CAN'T BE HONEST!", she roared. "I am... I am. I am sure this is the right decision.", I muttered... "Murasa... please calm down. If that is Byakuren-sama's decision, please respect it.", spoke Shou, surprising me at her seriousness and her wise words.

"Byakuren-sama.", she spoke, turning towards me. "I will await your return. Will spread your name... will continue to live the way of Bishamonten.", she spoke, adressing me with unknown seriousness... causing me to smile. "I am sure you will, Shou.", I chuckled.

"...which is why I entrust you one of the keys to my seal.", I added, extending a hand towards her... summoning it into my hand... the pagoda of Bishamonten. "Please take it. Should the time arrive... the moment that humans and Youkai can accept each other... return to me with the Pagoda, the fragments of Tobikura and...", I extended a hand towards Chôzen, a glowing object materializing inside it... a clear crystal shard. He took it as I nodded... then put it into the pocket of his shirt.

"Return to me with those three objects once the Youkai and the humans are ready to accept each other, and awake me from my sleep...", I muttered. Chôzen nodded, then turned towards my girls. "I will, Byakuren-sama.", spoke Shou, standing tall and confident. "I will as well.", agreed Ichirin, wiping away a tear. "Ya count on me, Byakuren, ya heard me?", smirked Murasa.

I couldn't help but smile at them... a warm smile spread across my face and I closed my eyes, slowly hovering backwards until I hovered in between two pillars. "Thank you, girls... thank your for understanding. I will not forget you... None of you... Please don't forget me as well, alright?", I asked them... to which they all nodded.

I opened my eyes a last time... smiled warmly at them... and then nodded to Shinki. The whitehaired goddess of Makai turned towards me, extended her arms to me... and I slowly felt the warmth spread around me, the outlines of a crystal becoming visible around me...

...and eventually, I found myself enclosed in a blue crystal, looking at my girls, Shinki, Unzan and Chôzen...

* * *

><p><em>Present, Makai - Hokkai<em>

...and that was how I ended up here. In Hokkai, one of the regions of Makai, the place of my old friend, Shinki. Ocassionally, that angel of death 041, Sariel, would appear before my seal, stare at me for hours... then, sometimes, she would tell me a story... even though she knew I would not be able to reply, she knew I was listening to her. And what great stories she told me... of the quest of a woman Sariel knows, a woman seeking for her complicated love... fighting a god of death in order to get her love back...

Mai and Yuki, the two witches of Makai, sometimes appear before me as well, playing near my grave, saying that hope I will soon be able to play with them again, like in the old times, when I visited Shinki. Louise, the ever sight-seeing demon... she would visit me, tell me of the great places she's been to, says she hopes I can see them as well soon.

Sara would, once she has time off, drop by, just to have a nice nap aside my crystal prison... when she woke up, she told me who wanted to enter Makai, who went past her..Sometimes, she'd tell me of what the others kept from me. She's way too honest for her own good.

Sometimes, Yumeko drops by to light new torches. When she does, she tells me of Shinki, how she is and what she does... sometimes, Shinki herself appears before me, to pay me respect... to await the time that those appear who can unseal me.

I hope they will appear as well... that humanity will change to accept us. And until that moment, I will continue to sleep... and dream of the places Louise tells me about... dream about playing with Yuki and Mai again... dream of the blonde woman Sariel tells me about... strangely, in my dreams, that woman fights for her love... which looks like Chôzen Gekido, the one I entrusted the key for my seal with.

...I just hope my girls come soon. I cannot await to see them again... to drink tea on relaxing evenings with Shinki again... to watch Yumeko as she just stands there, devoted to Shinki, loyal as ever... I hope Makai will still smell like it used to... I loved the smell of Makai.

...but I wonder, though, who that green-haired woman is, that appears ocassionally, telling me of her evil plans. She says she is an acquaintance of Shinki's... but what person would Shinki know to have such demonic thoughts? Well... that greenhaired woman stays around for a whole day, continues to decipher the spells placed on the ruins... studies my spells, which are engraved on a stone before me... she says she loves my magic... my black magic.

...who is this evil woman? And why does she keep on repeating, that she and her beloved friend Yuuka... will kill the walking enigma...?

...girls, please come soon. I don't like that evil, greenhaired woman... I need to stop her. I could be the only one who knows of her evil intentions... if Shinki only knew!

...please... girls... get the pagoda, the fragments of Tobikura and the key of Chôzen Gekido... and save me... me, and the walking enigma, whoever that may be... save me, should the world outside have changed for the better...

* * *

><p>(1) It is said that the first Myouren Temple was in the mountains. I merely decided for it to be on "Youkai Mountain", long before the crew of MoF arrived...<p>

(2) The famous scenes from CSI: Miami. At the beginning of almost every episode, Horatio makes a pun while putting on his sunglasses.

_So yeah. That's our tale about Byakuren!_

_Is it just me, or do I let Insanity explain quite a lot of things? I mean... look at that wall of bold! He's really quite talkative, isn't he?_

_But that aside... I saw no one more fitting for him to tell his story to...than Byakuren. Chôzen has met a lot of people already... but I don't think it would make sense to tell his story to anyone but the caring Youkai Christ Byakuren Hijiri. I hope I characterized her well... It's a change, ya know, letting someone else than Chôzen talk from his sight?_

_So yeah. Shou's forgetful / clumsy, Murasa is a little bit perverted..._

_...hey, waaait a second! Where are Nazrin and Nue? No Naz? No Nue? HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO US?_

_...that's what you probably think right now, right?_

_...weeeeell, Nazrin wasn't around at that time (or so I understood)... she later was sent by Bishamonten to observe Shou... and then, stuck around as Shou's underling. Nue, on the other hand, meets the girls of UFO not before in AFTER the Extra Stage of UFO. Indeed, she'd seen them before, but it is after the heroine fought her that she thinks of moving into the Myouren Temple. _

_I hope you liked this chapter, though. It was quite fun for me to write... though I actually went a little sad towards the ending... Byakuren's fate really is sad, huh? _

_...also, you probably all know who that greenhaired woman is, that keeps on appearing at Byakuren's seal. right? Oh yeah, she's planning something, and it ain't good..._

_Anyways, that's it for this update! See you next year, hopefully all alive and kickin'!_

_So long~!_


	16. 13 To follow the heart

_**SorrowfulReincarnation**__: Ya know... since we are currently nearing the end of I-NB... this also means that 0-NM comes to an end... ya know?_

_**Chôzen: **__It sure does... Quite surprising, huh?_

_**Flame-Soul: **__And to think that this story, meaning 0-NM, has only 13 chapters so far..._

_**Chôzen: **__Isn't it 14?_

_**SorrowfulReincarnation: **__Don't forget that 11 was parted in two._

_**Chôzen: **__Ah. Right._

_**Flame-Soul: **__Nontheless sad, if ya ask me... I was hoping for a lot more stuff in which I am included._

_**SorrowfulReincarnation: **__..._

_**Chôzen: **__..._

_**Flame-Soul: **__What?_

_**Chôzen: **__I'm kinda happy I don't hear you all that often. You're sadistic, perverted and sarcastic._

_**Flame-Soul: **__And those are only my good traits._

_**SorrowfulReincarnation: **__...Aw man._

_**Chôzen: **__Ya said it, dude... Ya said it._

_**Small Rumia: **__Booooring~ Get back to the topic~_

_**SorrowfulReincarnation: **__Ah, right, thank you, Rumi... *blood shoots out of nose, falls over*_

_**Chôzen: **__Aw man, not again._

_**Flame-Soul: **__Aw man, yes again. To think that he can't stand that cute little youkai... _

_**Chôzen: **__...it is really sad, isn't it?_

_**Flame-Soul: **__You said it, dude, you said it._

_**Chôzen: **__Aaaanyways, to get back to the topic... With every chapter that will be uploaded now, we near the end... actually, at a quite alarming rate. I vanished three centuries ago, and this chapter takes place four centuries ago... which means, only one century is actually in between this chapter and my disappearance._

_**Flame-Soul: **__You're getting antsy, aren't ya?_

_**Chôzen: **__Quite a lot. I am about to finally find out who was responsible for my amnesia in the first place. _

_**Flame-Soul: **__Tell me about it... I'm actually all antsy, too. Come on, Sorrow, at least give us a hint at to who it was!_

_**SorrowfulReincarnation:**__*suddenly on his feet again* Nooooope. All I can say is, that the character responsible for the memory loss is indeed a character who appeared in Touhou 11:SA._

_**Chôzen: **__C-come on! I can't wait to find out! Is Subterrenean Animism really the final arc for I-NB?_

_**SorrowfulReincarnation: **__I'm not gonna tell._

_**Chôzen: **__Will I regain my memories in it?_

_**SorrowfulReincarnation: **__I'm not gonna tell._

_**Flame-Soul: **__The one who says "I'm not gonna tell" next, has to buy lunch._

_**SorrowfulReincarnation: **__I'm not gonna teeeeeee-hey wait a freaking second!_

_**Flame-Soul: **__Alright, that settles it! Sorrow's gonna buy the lunch~!_

_**SorrowfulReincarnation: **__No, I'm not!_

_**Flame-Soul: **__Oh, you are~! __SorrowfulReincarnation does not own Touhou, Team Shanghai Alice / ZUN does. However, SorrowfulReincarnation does own Chôzen Gekido, me and Nanatsu no Taizai, as for he created us...!_

_...and now, let's go! You owe me lunch._

_**SorrowfulReincarnation: **__*sighs, slumps shoulders* Alright... and there goes my money for the next Bleach manga..._

_**Chôzen, Flame-Soul, Small Rumia: **__*cheer, then suddenly show trollfaces*_

* * *

><p><em><strong>Chapter 13: To follow the heart ~ Beyond the border<strong>  
><em>

_about 400 years ago, Gensokyo - Mystia Lorelei's grilled lamprey stand_

"Here you go.", sung a melodic voice, right before a fragile appearing hand placed a plate with grilled lamprey before me. Looking up from the plate, my eyes met that of Mystia Lorelei, the night sparrow youkai that owned a grilled lamprey stand.

"Thank you, Mystia...", I muttered, before I returned to stare at the grilled lamprey. Even though I had paid for it, I didn't feel hungry at all. Lately, I'm feeling rather sick, to be honest.

I can't explain it myself, but... my sickness... it definetly is somehow connected to the events concerning Rumia Shisô... and Byakuren Hijiri. These two girls... though completely different... though they were here with me, in this world... though they had met me...

...they liked me. They didn't hate me. Two people with completely different views of life... they both did not hate me, even though they were aware of who and what I was...

...this was a good sign, wasn't it?

On the other hand, though, they both eventually vanished again... vanished in tragedies. The bloodlusty youkai of darkness, Rumia Shisô, was almost killed by my hands... she was eventually sealed. At first, I thought Yukari had only sealed her for the reason we went to find Rumia in the first place... because she was too violent... but as Yukari had told me later... she also sealed Rumia into a small body to avoid her death. A death I would've caused. The wounds Rumia had gained from the battle with me... they would've been lethal.

Byakuren Hijiri... When I met her, she was a cheery Youkai that tried to unite human and Youkai, living behind the mask of being a human as well. But over the course of my stay at the temple, she spent too much time thinking over my problems... and eventually, her mask broke and she was found out. She had to flee, leave her own temple behind... and then, she made that tragic decision: She sealed herself away, in hope for humanity and Youkai to accept each other... that day, she would return. The current status is going well, though. Humans and Youkai slowly behind to accept each other more... at least inside Gensokyo.

"...listen to me?" I flinched, then looked up at Mystia. "I'm sorry. I didn't listen to you.", I sighed. She nodded with a big grin on her face. "I did notice that, Chôzen.", she snickered, "You had that faraway look on your face. Thinking of Nanatsu again?"

Yes, she knew. Quite surprising, huh? I'm telling a young Youkai of my problems... but keep them secret from my friends like Yukari, Mokou, Yuyuko... Well, Mystia was a friend as well. The reason as for why it was so easy for me to tell Mystia about things, I did not know, and I never would, I guess... but maybe it was exactly because of that. Because I didn't need to know.

"Not really.", I replied, taking a sip of the sake she had placed before me. "But whatever I think of, it always ends with her... all the loose ties... they end with Nanatsu no Taizai.", I sighed. "Then why don't you finally stop fleeing from them? I think you should finally face the past, and with that her... you need to fix the things.", suggested the young youkai, as she sat onto a stool.

"But... but I can't, Mystia... I shouldn't even be here... Whoever I meet, whoever I am with...they die away or experience horrorful things that leave them scarred... J-just think of Byakuren...Yuyuko... or that Hakurei Miko...", I murmured. "Mana?"

Hearing Mystia speak her name let me flinch, shake with... terror? "So you think you are responsible for her death?", asked Mystia, sighing.

"I don't only think that, Mystia... I know I am.", I growled, thinking back... seeing her beautiful face... before she bowed to me. That Hakurei Miko... she sure had been someone special. But eventually... she went sick... and died way too early. Fortunately, she had left back her young daughter... which was now struggling with holding Gensokyo together...

"Ugh! You stupid Youkai!", growled Mystia, leaning over the bar, glaring right into my eyes... I never knew her pink eyes could hold such venom...!

"Listen up! Mana Hakurei went ill and died. You had nothing to do with that! You don't cause misfortune to those around you! You don't bring famine, war, pestilence and death! (1) You are Chôzen Gekido, you bring nothing, as you embody the nothing, the indifference!", growled Mystia.

"It is merely coincidence and your wicked mind that tries to make you guilty for all that has happened, even though you have nothing to do with it! And you know why? It has all started with one thing...!" I turned my head away. _"N-No! I don't want to hear it! Spare me! When I hear it, I...!"_ Suddenly, I felt the fragile appearing hand grab me by the collar... and it pulled me over the bar... until I was face-to-face with Mystia.

"...it has all started with your seperation from Nanatsu no Taizai. Because you make yourself responsible for it... Face it. Face the truth right now! Nanatsu left you because she couldn't stand the stillbirth... and you think she left you because she hates you... But hey, wait a FREAKING SECOND!" I gasped when Mystia suddenly pushed me backwards, causing me to fall onto my back in front of the cart, the soft grass beneath my hands as I pushed myself up into a sitting position... and found Mystia above me.

"...You keep on saying that SHE left YOU. But if what you told me is the truth... then YOU IDIOT left her behind because you thought she hated you... YOU LEFT the house after she pushed you back. YOU LEFT HER to cry... So, in a sense, isn't it right when I say... that you are an asshole? An utter idiot? Dumb? Solitary? DENSE?"

I could only stare at the young Youkai standing over me... she looked so tall at the moment... so threatening... "Look what has become of you...", she muttered, pushing her right foot against my chest... actually forcing me onto my back again, "...you've become a whimp ever since you fought that exalted Youkai, Rumia Shisô... HEY! You want to hear a funny story?", she asked.

I didn't reply... didn't move... fear was taking me over. For once, I was actually afraid of the young sparrow youkai... Her melodic voice actually sounding quite dangerous... unmelodic... "Hm... maybe, how about I say this first...", she murmured, taking her foot back, taking a step back.

"...You can't please everybody. If you were to try so, you would only fail over and over again... Imagine this: You are with a group of friends... and it is a quite fateful day... as one of them dies before your eyes because of an accident... which you are responsible for. Or at least feel responsible for..."

As she spoke, Mystia crossed her arms, walked a little to the left, taking her angry eyes off me.

"...now, you have the ability to change this event. You can go back in time and fix this... however...", she stopped, turned to me again, "...as you save your friend, another one gets hurten. You feel responsible for that as well, so you go back and fix it... but it kills the rest of your friends. You return ot that moment and fix it... but it only ends with the first event: Your friend dies."

She... she kinda was right...

"If you try to fix things, you just will destroy... the only way to completely save them, would be to seperate yourself from them... or to kill yourself. But would you want that? You love them, you care for them, want to be with them... and that is the dilemma. Do you now understand? You can't please everybody. If you try to, you would only make things worse... or you would have to sacrifice something yourself, which means you aren't pleased... Trying to fix will only cause harm to others... and yourself." (2)

M-Mystia.. who are you really? How can you be so... wise? She... she is right, I see it... but... but still...

"With other words... stop feeling guilty for what happens. What happens is destined to happen. You cannot and should not change it. So stop feeling guilty. Now that you seemingly have understand that...", she growled, beginning to pace again. "...I'd like to tell you a... quite funny story."

Something was wrong about her... Could she... could she be like me? Like Rumia? Like Yukari? Insane... in that special way? When your insanity actually becomes an own personality? Or... or is Mystia merely enraged? I couldn't tell that moment...

"...about two centuries ago... on a dark evening... I was attacked by hungry Youkai, which tried to eat me, you remember? It was the evening you came by and asked me if I had seen that exalted Youkai called Rumia Shisô.", chuckled Mystia in a rather evil way.

"An exalted Youkai, a blonde woman, carrying a bloodlusty sword, saved me from those hungry Youkai... in exchange for some grilled lampreys. Nothing more. She could've eaten me herself, could've killed me, just for fun... the fun she was having as she SLAUGHTERED those who tried to eat me."

I didn't move my body, merely my eyes followed Mystia as she paced into the other direction.

"I offered her food and she took it. She sat down, quiet, silent, calm... unlike before, when she SLAUGHTERED those Youkai." I flinched as Mystia shouted the word. "...you know of who she reminded me that moment? As she just sat there, quiet, silent, calm... INDIFFERENT?" I flinched again... especially as Mystia began to cackle to herself under her breath. "Yeah. You.", she whispered, then turned away again.

"But the really funny thing is just about to start! As she just sat there, occasionally flashing me a smile... I felt myself melt away.. my cheeks heat up... Oh yes, I had fallen for that bloodlusty woman... I had fallen for her. She called me a cute bird as she left, said that she would maybe come back on occasions, and even though it sounded like a little taunt... I knew that she meant it." Mystia let out a loud sigh, then placed her back against the cart, leaning against it... kinda reminding me of Mokou.

"And even though... even though how nice she had been, even though I felt something for her I never felt before... Even though of that... I... I..." I felt how Mystia struggled, trying to keep herself under control... she was about to lose it, I felt it clearly.

"...I BETRAYED HER! I LET YOU! YOU! YOU ASSHOLE! I LET YOU KNOW WHERE SHE WAS!", roared Mystia, actually really losing it... causing me to flinch madly again. Mystia gritted her teeth, held her claws in a threating way towards me... I still lay on the ground, unable to move.

"...you said you were going to seal her. For her own good. You promised me to not to go all too hard on her... AND THEN YOU TELL ME, ALL CALM, THAT YOU** KILLED HER!**" I flinched once more, this time, pain shooting through my body... the source of the pain located in my chest... in the left side of it.

...I never told Mystia that Rumia had been indeed sealed. Why, I didn't know... but I just couldn't bring it over myself to tell her that Rumia was alive... Why it felt so hard for me to tell her the "good" news, I never know, and I never would.

"But I didn't say a thing. Pretended that I only cared about your wellbeing. While I did, I was about to cry for her... as for you didn't hold your promise to me. YOU **FILTHY LIAR**!" I screamed out in pain as Mystia kicked me in the side, suddenly standing aside me... I hadn't even seen her move.

"And now comes the funny thing... Even after you killed my love, didn't hold onto your promise... I let you live. I continued to be your friend. And now... now you're telling me that you're too weak? That you FEAR going back to Nanatsu, even though you beat Rumia Shisô, the mighty, bloodlusty angel of death? You dishonor everyone around you, Chôzen... you dishonor Rumia with that. NOW GET YOUR ASS TOGETHER AND STAND UP, LIKE! A! MAN!"

As she spoke, Mystia kicked me over and over again, caused me pain I hadn't felt since the battle with Rumia two centuries ago...

...the pain didn't stop, even as Mystia stopped kicking me. I rolled onto my stomach as she did... then went on all fours... and spat blood onto the ground.

"You wanna know something funny?", whispered Mystia all of sudden into my ear. "Even after everything you've done... I would never hate you." I turned my head to look at her... she had an sad expression on her face. "You can be with your queen, Chôzen... I can't. So please... at least fulfill your wish... do it for me. Return to Nanatsu." With that, she pulled back, took three steps back.. just looked at me.

I spat more blood... then, turned around, sat onto the ground again, leaning backwards... and began to laugh. Why, I didn't exactly know... but I began to laugh. It sounded sick, sounded like I was dying, somewhere in between chortling, suffocating, coughing and actually laughing... but it was me. I was laughing.

"You know...", I coughed, felt how one arm gave in, "...that actually is...", I continued, laying onto my back while I continued laughing, "...pretty funny." I just lay there, coughing, chuckling, laughing my ass off, taking deep breaths in between, almost suffocating... before I felt my conciousness slip away... and let the darkness surround me. (3)

* * *

><p>Mystia looked down at him as he just lay there, unconciousness, having lost it as he laughed... and a smile crept her way onto her lips. "I think he understood.", she muttered to herself, before she turned around, turned back to her cart.<p>

"...I've got a long night before me.", she whispered, feeling sadness well up in her again. Rumia Shisô... though the angel of death was surely several times her age... Mystia could only wonder if there could've been an actually relationship in between her and the angel of death... Had Rumia felt the same for her, as Mystia did for the angel of death?

...she would never know, sadly...

"Excuse me...", spoke a cheery, chidlish voice, causing Mystia to take a sharp breath, pushing her sadness away. She turned to the owner of the voice, a small blonde girl in a black vest. "...do you sell food here? I'm kinda hungry."

Mystia felt herself melt away at the cute smile of the young girl... it wasn't the same way that Mystia did melt away to Rumia Shisô's voice... she didn't feel attracted to the young girl, like she did to Rumia Shisô... but the young girl was nontheless very cute.

"Sure. Just sit down there.", smiled Mystia, pointing at the cart. The young girl spread her arms and quickly dashed for the cart, while Mystia herself went inside. "You'd like a grilled lamprey?", she asked the girl, to which the blonde eagerly nodded. "Sure.", grinned Mystia, turning around to prepare the lamprey.

"What's your name?", asked Mystia, turning to look over her shoulder at the cute girl. "Rumia... that's all I know.", smiled the girl. For a second, Mystia felt numb, the world around her gone... but then, she began to smile. "What a... coincidence.", she whispered.

"Hm?", muttered the young girl. "Ah... you just... you remind me of someone I once knew...", chuckled Mystia, turning away from the girl. "Someone who died..." (4)

* * *

><p>It don't know when, but it was already dark when I opened my eyes. It had been dark when I was at Mystia's stand... but now, it was really dark... so I guess it is right before dawn... It is, after all, always darkest before dawn...<p>

I didn't know when I opened my eyes... it could've been hours since I first opened them... not feeling anything at all. But maybe Mystia was right... maybe she was right. It was time to end this... once and for all. Nanatsu... Nanatsu, do you really want me to be at your side again?

**"She wants, you idiot!"** I flinched as I heard his voice... but somehow, I didn't went into panic... It stayed tranquil inside me... for once, I wasn't fighting him. There was no reason to. **"Now get ya ass up, like Mystia said, and go to Yukari!"**

I sat up, but almost fell down onto my back again as I felt the pain shoot through me once more. "She... she's actually quite strong, isn't she?", I chuckled to myself. **"She'll become one mighty Youkai one day... I am sure of that."**_** "I bet that."**_

Turning around so that I lay on my stomach, I went onto all fours and looked around... Mystia's cart was gone. She must have left already. How ironic that I, a mighty, exalted Youkai, was beaten by her... Even though it seemed otherwise, our fight hadn't been physical... but mental. And Mystia's mind was a lot stronger than my own...

Eventually, I managed to stand up. Managed to turn towards the last place left for me to return to... **"Hold it! Where are you going? Mayohiga is in the other direction!" **"Mayohiga?", I asked, a small grin flashing across my lips, "...I'm not going there. I'm not going to the outside world. You can try what you want... My past is my past, I'm not going to face Nanatsu no Taizai...", I growled.

He didn't reply... had I beat him? If not... then this will give him the final blow! Byakuren has made a dramatic decision due to the turn of events... Well then, I think it is time that I do as well! "...to even make it better...", I chuckled, raising my left hand to my forehead, letting it move across it til I found what I had searched for, something I only could touch if I truly wanted to...

"...I don't trust the nihilism anylonger. It has betrayed me, does not work anymore... so I might as well... end this game... and take of the mask of what I am not!" With that, I sled my fingers into my skin, touching the edge of the mask, pulling on it... I would break it... take it off... I do not longer want to be a mask... "AND THERE IS NOTHING YOU CAN DO AGAINST IT! YOU CAN'T DO ANYTH...!"

**"RIGHT HOOK!"** "Wha...?"

Before I could realize, my right fist hit me straight in the face and knocked my head back. As my head lowered... my irises were crimson. And all I saw... was the black... of unconciousness.

**"Geez! I should've done this before, really!"** I rolled my neck, then my shoulders. **"Sorry, Chôzen, but if you won't extend your hand to the light, then I fear I have to force you."** Clenching my right hand experimentally, I tried out if I really had full control of the body now. Pushing Chôzen back was easy this time, honestly!

**"Alright. Sorry, Chôzen, but sometimes, love hurts"**, I chuckled, before I turned towards Mayohiga. **"To believe that I really had to go as far as delivering a right hook to him... geez! But hey, he told me that I can try what I want~!"**

It was time to help him, even if it meant that I had to be a little unforgiving... a little violent. But that was nothing new to me, as for I am Insanity...

* * *

><p><em>400 years ago, Gensokyo - Boundary, Yakumo Residence<em>

I knocked on the door the moment I reached it. Time was short... it would only be a matter of time until Chôzen would regain conciousness and would fight me, try to push me back... and before that happens, I have to be in the outside world.

"Give me a moment!", hollered the voice of that kitsune from the other side of the door. Now, you may ask as for why I didn't just open the door and rush inside, since it was a sliding door, right? There were two reasons for that. One was, that I actually had respect for the Yakumo family, as strange as that may sound, since I, Insanity, do not have respect for many people.

The second reason was, that Yukari Yakumo could kick my ass anytime. Also, she "installed" a security system to her house with her gaps... if one she does not want to opens a door, a gap appears and eithers kicks the persons ass with some ridiculous weapon... or he is teleported god-knows-where.

But even I have a certain limit, and as that kitsune didn't open the door five minutes later, I snapped. **"Get your ass here and open the door!"**, I roared. "Don't be so rude. Chen needs her bath first! So be a good guest and wait until I'm ready!", roared the voice of that kitsune back. And that was, where I left behind all reason, actually not caring about the security system anymore.

I lifted my right hand, put it onto the door, gathered energy into my right hand... and then, caused the energy inside it to explode along with the door.

As I opened my eyes, I found myself standing in front of a large hole in the wall of the residence, that kitsune standing on the other side of the room, shock evident on her face. **"Too slow."**, I chuckled, before I stepped in, actually surprised that Yukari's security system did not work... either I had negated it, since I used negative energy to break the wall... or she was either too lazy to set it up, did lie about it, or I was free to enter.

**"Now... Kitsune... get Yukari here, or I might just negate your existence..."**, I growled, stepping towards her. She took a defensive stance, but as I continued on closing in on her, she seemed to become more aware of the situation she was in... that hopeless situation she was in, as any fight against me was for nothing...

"Y-Yukari-sama is asleep and wishes not to be distur..." **"Wake her up or she's not gonna see her foxie again." **"Y-yes. Right away.", whimpered the kitsune, backing away towards the sliding door to Yukari's room. She sled it open, then rushed inside to the sleeping Youkai's side, while I leaned against the doorframe, lowered my head, waited for the Youkai sage to wake... It might take a while, I knew how sleepy that exalted Youkai Yakumo was...

"Lady Yukari? Lady Yukari, please wake up!", hissed the kitsune, shaking her mistress. Lady Yukari? Oh... I see. She only says 'Lady Yukari' as long as I, or rather Chôzen, is around... so this is some kind of warning to her mistress, huh?

"What is it, Ran?", growled Yukari as her purple eyes slowly slid open just a little, glaring at her Shikigami. "Uhm... it's... your friend, Chôzen Gekido, standing in the door, threating to negate my existence if I don't wake you up...", muttered the kitsune uneasily.

Immediately, Yukari's eyes snapped open completely, her purple eyes fixing on me. "Chôzen?", asked Yukari surprised, sitting up. I heard myself chuckle at that, **"Indeed."**, I replied, not looking up at her, rather, still staring down at my feet. Oh boy, Chôzen was stirring... he was about to wake up... Better I speed this up a little!

**"Yukari Yakumo, I have come here to...", **I chuckled, lifting my gaze, turning it towards her. As she noticed that my eyes were crimson, she flinched, became aware that I was Chôzen... Chôzen's Insanity. **"...put this to an end."**, I finished my sentence. And as she heard that, Yukari, totally uncharacteristically for her, jumped out of her futon, placed herself in between me and that Kitsune. Huh. One would've guessed that it takes more that crimson eyes to wake up Yukari Yakumo.

"What do you mean by that, Chôzen?", asked Yukari, her expression that of utter disgust, one arm extended to protect her Shikigami. And that action, that expression, this all... it caused me to chuckle in utter amusement. How quickly people believe that I am dangerous, just because I am an insanity having gained personality... People draw those conclusions far too early. I am a sadist, not a mass murderer. I enjoy fighting, and do not fight to enjoy.

I pushed myself off the doorframe, turned to my old friend Yukari... a wide grin spreading across my lips... but then, as I felt him stir again, that grin was wipped off my face. **"King has been reckless... no, to make it worse, he even tried shattering the mask. After six whole centuries of indifference, he has once again snapped... which is why I am the leading one. I can no longer watch this drama... it's making me sick.", I **growled, concentrating on pushing him back in order to let him sleep just a bit longer.

"Explain.", huffed Yukari, slowly moving her arm down, apparently having realized that I was no danger... no danger at the moment, at least.

**"I want to put this to an end... all this suffering... I can no longer watch him suffer, as I suffer as well. This is my body, and I cannot let him hurt it anymore. I want you to open a gap to the outside world... I will go through. I am planning to look for Nanatsu no Taizai, as to bring this to an end, I have to find her. She holds the shackles that have laid around me and the king... only she can end this suffering.", **I sighed.

"How can she end it?", asked Yukari. **"I don't know. All I know is, that I have to find her... But we have to hurry now. He might regain control of this body any second now... Listen to my request: Open a gap to Tokio and let me through. I shall live there, and take the matters into my own hands. But as we know that he and I have buisness and 'friends' here as well, I request you to open a gap every three days that leads back to Gensokyo... He and I shall change between the worlds in a three day cycle... only in winter, I will stay here in Gensokyo.", **I revealed my request.

"I see...", muttered Yukari, nontheless looking pretty thoughtful.** "Do you agree to my request?", **I asked her. At that, she hesitated for a moment... but then, she nodded. **"Very well then... so let us finish this once and for all, Yukari Yakumo.", **I muttered... and Yukari opened the gap to the outside world.

"I sense no evil in you.", murmured Yukari as I stepped towards the gap. **"Quite ironic, isn't it?"**, I chuckled, standing right in front of the gap. **"Quite ironic, how one insanity can affect another... how a woman of darkness can change a madman... and how a shrine maiden and a monk, even though just barely interacting with him... can cause the good in him to appear...",** I murmured, extending a hand to touch the gap.

**"It seems like a bad joke to me... Mana Hakurei and Byakuren Hijiri brought forth that what I hate... my good side. I feel like bursting into tears, thinking of what I am about to do... to help that which I try to subdue... my original personality, Chôzen... Ugh, it makes me feel sick."**, I growled.

"Then better step through the gap quick...", chuckled Yukari in behind me. **"Listen. Even if he cries, threatens to kill himself or whatever... do not let him stay here in Gensokyo. Like I said, every three days, let me change in between Gensokyo and the outside world... but do NOT let me stay here anylonger. I am sick of letting things go like he wants them."**, I chuckled. "Understood."

Just in that moment, a stinging pain went through me. **"He awoke. I shall go now."**, I growled. "I see. Until we meet again.", muttered Yukari, and I nodded. **"Whatever.", **I huffed, feeling my cheeks heat up as I realized how ncie I had been to her. And she noticed.

"Aw, isn't it cute how he tries to be the bad man, Ran?", teased Yukari. "Indeed it is, Lady Yukari.", giggled Ran. **"Smell ya later."**, I huffed, then jumped through the gap... letting the ladies giggle to themselves.

* * *

><p><em>400 years ago, Outside world - Japan, Tokio<em>

I hit the ground after falling out of the gap, rolled on the ground, and after a final sommersault, landed on all fours. I panted, hissed... but then looked up and found myself in a dark, lonely alley. Slowly, I stood up and took a few steps forwards... then turned to the flame-soul.

**"Good to know that you are on my side this time."**, I chuckled. _**"I don't know what you mean."**_**"Ah... you see, it is quite simple... You could've tried to stop me all along. You could've tried to speak up, could've tried to force me away... but you didn't. Instead, you stayed quiet."** _**"...Tch." **_**"Love ya too, toots."**, I laughed, taunting the flame-soul of mine... then turned to the city. **"Now... the rest is up to him."** _**"It is."**_ And with that, I closed my eyes... and let him return to control.

And began to laugh in amusement as I heard his frustrated, shocked yelp as he realized where I had brought him to.

* * *

><p><em>390 years ago, Chôzen's mind - Insanity's world<em>

_Insanity's PoV_

But as fate wanted it, that damn bastard of Chôzen made no real attempts at finding Nanatsu. I know I know, I could've forced him to... but I, for my part, had done enough. Doing anything more would damage the outcome. She was his queen, not mine.

Over a long course of time, I actually believed he would made no attempts at all... would try to avoid meeting her... until it happened.

One day, I was just chilling around in the back of his mind, which I could construct to my will as I soon had learned, I lay in my beach chair on a small island, one hand sliding through the soft sand, the other one holding a glass of cold water, I suddenly felt the change in his feelings.

I put the sunglasses down onto the table aside me, along with the glass, then looked across the ocean of glowing magma. _**"You felt it as well, huh?"**_, asked a familiar voice, and as I turned to my right, I found a Chôzen with green flames instead of hair before me, wearing nothing but green bathing trunks. The way the flame-soul appeared inside this world... my world.

**"I did."**, I replied, letting a hand move through my crimson hair. **"Did he really just ask somebody if he had ever heard of Nanatsu no Taizai?"**, I asked, gesturing the flame-soul to sit onto the chair that randomly appeared. _**"Indeed he did. You may not have noticed it... since you slept for so long, but..."**_

**"Hold it! What do you mean I slept so long?"**, I interupted him. _**"Ah... so he lied to me. You didn't sleep... he just sealed you until now..."**__,_murmured the flame-soul's incarnation. **"Sealed me?"**, I roared. _**"Indeed. Since you don't know... ten years have passed since our arrival in this world. Yukari kept her promise, she's been opening a gap every three days, and let him stay in Gensokyo during winter... I thought you were aware of that."**_

**"TEN FUCKING YEARS? Are you kidding me?"**, I roared. _**"Not at all. Anyways, what you didn't notice also, is that Chôzen... about three years ago, he realized that he would not manage to avoid any further meeting with Nanatsu no Taizai. He realized that you would just mess around again... so he has been searching for her. But as it seems, she has gone into hiding... also, our better side has started to return to be confident... What is a good sign, in my eyes. He's not anylonger a total whimp... he even left Japan, as it seems that Nanatsu has moved to France"**_

**"I see... Then maybe it was for the better that I was sealed and could not interfere..."**, I mumbled, turning back to look at the ocean of magma. _**"Indeed."**_ I noticed how the flame-soul laid down onto his beach chair. _**"Quite a nice place you have here. Your sleep couldn't have been that bad."**_

**"It certainly wasn't."**, I chuckled. I shared a glance with him, then we both turned to look at the endless ocean of glowing magma. **"It certainly wasn't."**

* * *

><p><em>390 years ago, Outside world - Paris<em>

_Chôzen's PoV_

I gulped. There was this rumor... this rumor that a quite stunning beauty from Japan, wearing a black kimono... that she would be here once a week. Today. Standing aside the Eiffel Tower, looking across the crowd, I tried to spot her... Nanatsu. I had no doubts that she was that woman. Not doubts at all.

I don't know if it was wise to be here... I don't know if it was wise to unseal my insane personality... but those were two decisions I made. And there was no going back now. Now, my fate would happen. All I could do, was to wait. Wait for Na..._**"THERE!"**_

My eyes snapped up, darted through the crowd, trying to spot her... and almost fell out of my head when I indeed saw her. Nanatsu no Taizai... My Nana... she stood there, in the crowd of humans, staring towards the heaven... But without a doubt, it really was here...

I need to get to her. Need to sort this out. She looks okay... she is alive, this alone makes my heart jump in glee... Now, all I have to do is to get to her... to get to her and talk to her, sort things out... But... but why do my legs feel so heavy? Why is breathing so hard?

**"Don't let the doubts take you over now! She's in reach!"**, roared Insanity. _**"Listen to him!"**_, encouraged my flame-soul... and I balled my fist, rose my gaze, stood there, confident and ready... and turned away from her, walked away.

**"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?"**, roared Insanity. "Listen boys... Let me do this at my pace. We know that she is alive. That she is okay. We found her. You two have done enough for me... now, let me do this at my pace. I go to her when the time has come, when the time is right.", I muttered to myself, leaning my back against a building.

I turned to look at Nanatsu once more. She stood there... looked into the heaven, her gaze faraway... she was lost in her own world.

And that was the moment that I felt a tug on my left sleeve.

Turning my gaze to my left, I found nobody... until I looked down. Standing aside me was a small girl, barely half my height. She had short, lightblue hair and wore a light-pink dress and a light-pink mob cap. If anything, she wasn't older than five. So what was she doing here?

She looked at me with begging red eyes... she looked kinda lost, to be honest. "Uhm... mister...c-could you help me find home?", she whispered, sadness in her voice, one hand in front of her mouth. **"Aw heck, who dropped a cute bomb on us?" **_**"Awwww! She's so cute! Please don't say no! Help her!" **_I chuckled at the two voices in my head, then smiled at the young girl. "Sure.", I replied, sitting onto my knees and taking the young girls hand.

* * *

><p><em>Nanatsu no Taizai's PoV<em>

I flinched as I felt it. Somebody was looking at me. While this was nothing unusual... it was the feeling that was different. The familiar feeling.

Looking through the crowd of human, I tried to find them... the bilious green eyes. I couldn't believe it... but the feeling... it was the feeling that he was staring at me. Chôzen... But it couldn't be! It just couldn't!

It was then that I spotted that young girl and the man for a moment... that man! He looked like Chôzen! Is it true? Is it really him? Or just my mind messing with me?

Humans moved through my vision, stood in between me and that man... and as they were gone... so was he.

...had this really been Chôzen?

No...

...Impossible. My mind is playing tricks on me.

* * *

><p>(1) The four horsemen of apocalypse<p>

(2) Yeeeep. ... well, I didn't exactly come up with it myself. I was at a friends with some buddies on New Years Eve. We played videogames all night... aside one of us, which was watching that movie... "Butterfly Effect". It is an awesome movie, and at one point, I actually lost Osu! three times in a row, as for I had forgotten to play, lost in the movie... ^_^'' It was awesome.

The movie focuses on a boy, which can "reverse time" by looking at some stuff from his childhood. At one point, he made a terrible mistake, which caused his dog, a woman and a baby to die. When he went back to save them, the events changed so that one of his friends died instead. He went back to fix it, but it only caused another tragic event to unfold... he tries over and over again... if he does succeed, I won't spoil, though.

(3) Batman: Arkham City. Enough said.

(4) Mystia thinks Rumia Shisô is dead... she is unaware that Rumia has turned to the small girl she met. Chôzen did not tell her.

* * *

><p><em><strong>SorrowfulReincarnation: <strong>__What happen?  
><em>_**Flame-Soul: **__Somebody set up us the (cute) bomb!  
><em>_*door bursts open, Chôzen comes in*  
><em>_**Chôzen: **__How are you gentlemen! All your base are belong to us!_

_**SorrowfulReincarnation: **__*coughs* Anyways, leaving those hilarious references behind... Well, who can guess who that girl is? ...You all can, I believe. I bet some of you were already wondering if I forget them... but no, I did not. It is just that they appear near the end of 0-NM, since their story is shortly in before Chôzen's Amnesia..._

_..yes, I am speaking of the Scarlet Sisters. So next time, we gonna see Chôzen's history with the Scarlet Devil Mansion._

_Well, about this chapter... the beginning was planned quite different, but I really felt like giving Chôzen a good beating for being that whimp he was... and Mystia delivered it quite well, didn't she? _

_That said, I hope you liked this chapter, and I see you next time for the Scarlet Devil Mansion Chapter!_

_So long!_

_...oh, and Chôzen... you pay for that door._

_**Chôzen: **__*sweatdrop* I will._

_So long!_


	17. 14 The young scarlet mistresses

_**SorrowfulReincarnation: **__Aw shit, finally got this done._

_**Flame-Soul: **__Took ya long enough._

_**SorrowfulReincarnation: **__Four days... just for this chapter, alright... So less sleep... Anyways, to be honest, I could've made it two days ago... but blame Osu!, Touhou Pocket Wars Evo+ and that Minecraft LP I am working on for distracting me for a few hours..._

_**Flame-Soul: **__At least you finally did this chapter. What's it about?_

_**SorrowfulReincarnation: **__Like I said last time... the Scarlet Devil Mansion, and how it came to be as we know it._

_**Flame-Soul: **__Oho? Now then, this will be interesting, I believe. Let's start this without further ado! My other half, could you please do the disclaimer?_

_**Chôzen: **__Will do! __SorrowfulReincarnation does not own Touhou, Team Shanghai Alice / ZUN does. However, SorrowfulReincarnation does own me, my flame-soul and Nanatsu no Taizai, as for he created us...!_

_**Flame-Soul: **__Good. Now, can we please start?_

_**SorrowfulReincarnation: **__Basically yeah... but this time, we sure kept the introduction short, didn't we? Usually, we rant all the time and start the chapter then..._

_**Flame-Soul: **__Guess we finally got used to each other._

_**SorrowfulReincarnation & Chôzen: **__...dream on._

_**Warning: Strong language and some harder violence towards the end of the chapter.**_

_**This chapter was uploaded along chapter 62 of I-Negative Bullet, so make sure you read up to there (including it), before you read this. Could be a spoiler otherwise.**_

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><p><em><strong>Chapter 14: The young scarlet mistresses ~ Heir to Dracula<strong>_

_400 years ago, Outside World - France, Paris_

It must've looked quite cute as I walked through the crowded streets of the city of love in the late evening, a young girl holding my hand, looking right and left for her home... Heck, it looked damn cute! She was just half my height, held my right hand with her left, her right hand in front of her mouth, her expression that of a lost child... Aw, why must she be so damn cute?

_**"Hey, you're doing the right thing."**_, chuckled my flame-soul. **"Yeah. Do ya stuff, goody-two-shoes. Ugh, all this 'being good, doing the right'-thing disgusts me. Smell ya later!"** _**"Aaaand there he goes. Anyways, good luck."**_

And just like that, as if nothing ever happened, the two of them went quiet. Geez, so like them! Anyways, back to that girl... She was still glancing around, trying to find anything that looked familiar to her. "You're sure we are right here?", I asked her after a small while, to which she froze up and yelped.

She slowly turned to me... and then nodded slightly. _"Whoops, looks like I scared her..."_, I thought, sighing. "So... what's your name?", I asked her, to which she carefully looked at me out of the corner of her eyes... but it was something different in them this time, not fear... but pride. Utter pride.

"Remi... Remilia Scarlet.", she said, hesitating at one moment. "Remilia, huh?", I smiled, bowing down aside her. She nodded. "I am Remilia Scarlet.", she repeated, more confident this time. "So, is it okay for me to call you Remi?", I smiled. _"Step 1: Befriend her, try to get closer to her."_ "NO!", she snapped, surprising me.

"I am Remilia Scarlet, and you shall adress me as such, human!", she hissed. I rose an eyebrow at that, but shrugged. "I am sorry. Please forgive me, Lady Scarlet.", I spoke, bowing mockingly... not that she seemed to notice. "That's better!", she huffed, acting like a young brat... which she actually seemed to be. Was she a noble, I wonder?

"Is there anything that reminds lady Scarlet of her territory?", I asked, to which the girl went all uncertain again and began glancing around. "I... I am not sure.", she muttered, to which I sighed, however, with a wide smile on my lips. _**"Aw damn, why is she soooo cute~?"**_

"I... I think I've seen that light there some times!", she announced, pointing at a light on the horizon. _"A lighthouse?"_, I wondered. "B-but it looked a lot different... it... it was... kinda more in the distance...", murmured. And in that moment, it clicked inside my head. Turning around, I looked away from the lighthouse... and found, on top of a hill, a beautiful, old mansion.

...so she was a noble?

"AH!", exclaimed Remilia Scarlet all of sudden, looking past me, pointing at the horizon. "There's my mansion!", she shouted. "Your... mansion?", I asked her surprised. "Yes, my mansion.", snickered Remilia... before she suddenly dashed towards it. "EH!", I shouted, watching the girl running down the street. _**"What are you waiting for?"**_, I heard my flame-soul shout... and on impulse, ran after Remilia Scarlet.

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><p>As I finally reached the mansion, Remilia was already dancing around in front of it, calling out in glee that she found it. "I am back~ My Mansion~", she sung, twirling on the spot, before she dashed towards the door, causing me to groan. <em><strong>"She sure is energetic, huh?"<strong>_, commented my flame-soul, but unable to give him a piece of my mind, I just growled into his direction, causing him to chuckle.

Looking up to the large, heavy double doors of the mansion, I was left in awe as Remilia walked up to them, put her hands against them... and pushed them open without any problem. I watched in sheer awe as they swung open, revealing the scarlet inside to my eyes. _"J-Just what is she?",_ flashed through my mind as I watched her enter the mansion.

Curiosity getting the better of me, I forgot my exhaustion and followed her inside the mansion. "I'm home~", she continued to sing, dancing through the quite intimidating foyer. "Sis!", exclaimed another voice that second, and upon turning around, I found another young girl standing on top of the stairs... she couldn't be much older than 5 as well... but something was strange about those two.

"Flan!", exclaimed Remilia, dancing towards what seemed to be her sister. The blonde sister, her skin just as pale as that of the bluehaired sister, ran down the stairs and flung her arms around her sisters neck as soon as she reached her. "Sis, where have you been?", asked the blonde sister, her expression that of worry.

"Don't worry, Flan. Your big sister just went out to make a new friend, see?", smiled Remilia, pointing at me. **"How grateful she can be."**, murmured Insanity's voice, sarcasm obvious in it.

"But Sis! It was all lonely and scary in this mansion... since mom and dad aren't here anymore, it's pretty scary...", complained the younger sister, lowering her head in shame. At least I believe it was shame. "There there. Your big sister won't leave you alone anymore.", sighed Remilia, patting the younger girls head.

Right as I was about to leave this two strange girls behind, Remilia turned to me, mustering me. "I see you followed me.", she spoke, to which I turned back to her. "Yeah.. Yeah, I did. Wanted to make sure you arrive here safely.", I replied.

"I see... well, since you were so nice to show me the way home, I might as well invite you for dinner...", sighed the young girl, turning to her younger sister. **"As long as I don't end up being the dinner, lil' vampire."**, spoke Insanity through me. At that, she flinched, twirled back to me, her right eyebrow rosen.

"Vampire?", she asked, chuckling... it remained like that in between us for a second, our eyes locked as we tried to stare each other down... but then, Remilia began to laugh, took a few steps away from her sister... and all of sudden, two bat wings extended from her back... and then, her younger sister suddenly revealed two bat wings to me as well, though hers were smaller.

"I see... you figured me out, didn't you?", asked Remilia, amusement in her voice. "How did you do it? Who and what are you?" The final sentence was spat with disgust, the very opposite to the apparent amusement she had shown before.

"I am a Youkai.", I replied. "Youkai, huh?", snarled Remilia, "...so a japanese breed. Haven't seen any Youkai in quite a while...", she murmured. "That's because most of us have retreated... the humans have become too powerful... due to their quantity.", I explained, stepping towards the Scarlet sisters.

"My name would be Chôzen Gekido, Lady Scarlet.", I chuckled during a mock bow. "I am the Insei no Youkai.", I added, before I rose from my mock bow... this time, I knew she was aware of it being a mock bow... but if she indeed knew it, she was good at hiding her displeasure.

"Fine then. I am Remilia Scarlet, and this is my younger sister, Flandre Scarlet. As you have indeed noticed, Youkai, my sister and I are vampires... but not those filthy, low vampires that die in the sunlight, no... Flan and I are descendants of the great Dracula himself!", huffed the young bluehaired vampire... How old was she, anyways? ...she's... a little... short...

Also, quite a mouthful she got there.

"Anyways... I am really grateful for accompanying me home... I shall invite you to a dinner. What do you say? Staying for tonight?", she asked. I rose an eyebrow... and then shrugged. "Sure, why not."

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><p><em>400 years ago, Outside World - France, Paris, Scarlet Mansion<em>

Under the cover of darkness lies a dark mansion, located in the higher areas of Paris' outskirts... on a hill towered a mansion, twice as scarlet within than the outside. Very few windows allowed the moonlight to fill the corridors.

They say that, until just recent, a small family lived inside the mansion, all alone. While they were noble, they had no such thing as maids, or staff at all. Very few persons have ever seen the interior of said mansion... those very few that just recently had taken the corpses of the parents.

It was a horrible sight, they bodies apparently drained of any essence of life... little did those that enter know, that they carried the corpses of once powerful vampires as they took them to the graveyard, put them into the family tomb of the Scarlets.

Would somebody have asked the sisters, the daughters which had suddenly vanished, he would have heard the truth: the two vampires, sick of their need for blood, refused to drink it anylonger... rather went mad in their famine... faced the end with demonic grins and sharp fangs.

Would somebody peek into this mansion this night, however, he would hear noises of laughter, laughter of two young girls... the girls that were never found. The Scarlet sisters...

"Aahahaha! Come and catch me, Onii-sama!", roared Flandre, running around a corner of the corridor while I chased after her. _**"I don't know when this turned into a game of tag... but you don't seem to mind."**__ "Ah, shut up."_I made a dash for the corner Flandre vanished behind... when I heard her call.

"Over here, Onii-sama~!", hollered her laughter behind me, and upon turning around, I found her peeking from behind a large flower pot. I blinked, confused as she had just run the other way, but nontheless made a dash for her.

Reaching the flower, I looked behind it... only to find her gone. "You never gonna catch us~!", sung Remilia's voice behind me, and upon turning around, I found the small vampire flying down another corridor in the distance. I sweatdropped, then made a dash for her... when I heard Flandre behind me again.

"Up here~!", sung the younger Scarlet, and upon turning her way, I found her dangling on a chandelier not all too far from me. I sweatdropped as I saw her there, but just as I was about to jump for her, I heard her voice again... form the other direction?

"Over here~!" Turning around towards the corner she had vanished behind just a while ago, I found her peeking around it. I blinked several times, before I turned back to the chandelier. She was gone. What the...? "Stuuupid, big bro.", sung Remilia as she flew past me... and as I made a jump towards her, she rose higher into the air with her wing, caused me to land flat on my face... slide over the ground... and finally, I hit my head against a wall...

...shame on me, tricked by a young vampire...

As I rose my gaze, I followed the sound of laughter and found Remilia and Flandre dancing in the air... all five of them. Seeing four Flandres, I sweatdropped. Maybe I hit the wall harder than I thought...? I quickly shook my head, willed all dizzyness out of me...

...and still found four Flandres, dancing with Remilia.

"Quadruplets?", I gasped, to which Remilia and Flandre(s) stopped dancing. "Nooot really. I can make myself appear four times.", sung Flandre, before all four of her turned into different directions. "Now, let's play hide and seek~", and with that, they dashed off. Remilia began to laugh then, before she began to fly away as well.

Sitting on the ground, I let myself fall onto my back. "I'd never thought I would ever babysit... especially not vampires.", I groaned... before a smile appeared on my lips. "Alright, nontheless... Up we go.", I chuckled as I sat up, then went to my feet. "Here we go~!", I exclaimed, before I rushed down the corridor into the direction I had last seen Remilia fly in.

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><p><em>385 years ago, Outside World - France, Paris, Scarlet Mansion<em>

Fifteen years have passed since I kinda adopted two silly vampire girls. I guess you really could say adopted, because I actually moved into the mansion and watched over them... Since their parent's death, nobody was there for them, after all...

Climbing out of my way too comfortable bed, I sat onto it's edge and looked out of the window, which was on the other side of the room.

It was a cold day in winter, the snow actually all piled up. It was good that the mansion lay a little outside the city... A while ago, I actually pretended to buy the old, apparently empty mansion... otherwise, people would've become suspicious of why I was seen on the supposedly empty mansion.

As such, however, I actually also had to take care of the mansion. While the mansion itself wasn't that much of a problem, the garden really was. Especially as winter had neared, most of the flowers just died... and I couldn't do a thing. After all, I was meant to destroy, not to create.

Anyways, living with two vampires of 115 years (Remilia) and 110 years (Flandre) wasn't exactly easy. They behaved quite childish, and while Remilia always tried to be the charismatic lady of the mansion, she quite often failed in that, especially due to Flandre. But it was also cute seeing the older sister protect her younger one.

Well... like I said, they behaved often quite childish... and made exactly such disaster. I remember that one day pretty well, the day that I woke up, walked into the foyer, and found that Flandre had scattered her drawings EVERYWHERE. Remi (she eventually allowed me to call her that) can cause havoc... Flandre can cause four times that havoc.

Oh yeah, did I mention that I sleep during daytime now? Remi and Flan do so as well, so I thought it would be better to become nocturnal as well... didn't take me much of effort to change.

Anyways... Maybe I should head down and see what disaster they are causing today.

Leaving my room in the third story of the mansion, right by the staircase in the foyer, I stretched my tired limbs and turned towards the stairs... and immediately bumped into someone. "MUKYU!" "WHAT THE...?" Of course, latter shout was my one... I never got to finish it, though, as the moment I tried to, I lost my balance completely... and went the stairs down the hard, but quick way.

"A-are you alright?", I heard a weak, female voice, and upon opening my eyes, I found a girl with long, purple haired bowed over me. "Ow. Now that was... what I call a 'flight of stairs'...", I chuckled, before I sat up, rolling my shoulders, which hurt quite a lot.

I then turned to the girl I bumped in... a purple-haired girl with many blue and red ribbons tied into her hair. She looked a little pale and... was she wearing a light-purple pajama?

"You must be Chôzen Gekido... the Youkai living here. Remi told me of you.", muttered the pajama-girl, standing aside me. I stood up and looked at the smaller, fragile appearing girl. "That I am. May I ask what your name is?", I asked. "Patchouli Knowledge.", she replied, picking up a book that lay on the ground.

"I am an old friend of Remi's mother... I moved into here just last night to watch over the sisters...", she added, holding that book in front of her body. "...and also, I am the librarian of Voile, the magic library. Sadly, I have not managed to set up the library in here... and that needs to be done before I can summon Voile here.", huffed Patchouli, dusting herself off... before she suddenly began to cough madly.

"A-Wha... I don't...even...? A-are you alright?", I gasped, seeing how she, before my eyes, almost collapsed, coughing up some blood. "I-I'm fine. Asthma is acting up again...", she murmured, pulling out a handkerchief to wipe the blood away.

I sweatdropped. "Are you sure that is okay?", I asked her. "Not really.", replied the librarian, before she walked past me. "Anyways, it was nice meeting you.", she called over her shoulder, before she descended the final flight of stairs, moving towards a large, unused room I remembered... seems she is setting up her library there. "My pleasure.", I muttered uncertainly... right before something hit me in the side four times, almost knocking me over. "Let's play, onii-sama!", shouted the four Flandres, clinging onto my left arm... and then, something clinged onto my right. "Yes, let's play, big bro!", exclaimed Remilia, looking at me with begging eyes. "Alright...", I chuckled.

Maybe it wasn't half as bad having someone around who can help me watch those two girls...

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><p>"Like this?", I growled, pushing against the large, wooden bookshelf... an empty bookshelf, if I may say so, but quite a large and heavy one. A normal human wouldn't even be able to get that thing to shake even in the slightest... But well, since I am a Youkai...<p>

...and I am a man. I keep honor in my strength.

"Exactly! Prodigious!", exclaimed Patchouli, throwing around words I don't even really now... what did 'prodigious' mean, anyway? ...doesn't matter! I rather like to know when or why I decided to help Patchouli set up the library...

"Nehehehe.", snickered Flandre, flapping her bat wings excitedly as she sat atop a bookshelf, watching me move them through the whole room. Why didn't she help me? She was physically at least as strong as I was, if not even stronger! ...and she could duplicate her... four Flandres helping wouldn't be bad at all, ya know?

"Okay, there is the last one!", I heard Patchouli exclaim. In sheer excitement over hearing those words, I turned around and looked at the last bookshelf. "Just push it against the wall and we're done.", smiled Patchouli _"We?"_, I thought with a grim expression. _"She just stood around the last six days and told me where to move which bookshelf..."_

As I continued to murmur threats and insults towards the magician (as she turned out to be) under my breath, I pushed the bookshelf with all of my remaining power against the wall... then collapsed against it, wipping the sweat off my forehead. I hadn't slept well during the last week... to be honest, I had barely slept at all, spending most of my time during day setting up the bookshelves, while I played tag or hide-and-seek with the sisters at night...

...I'm tired...

"Ah, thank you, thank you.", snickered Patchouli all excited, before she opened up the book she was carrying with her. "Now... let's see... the spell to summon my beloved books...", she whispered. "I guess they might fit in here... well, maybe I should summon only a fourth for now, on the other hand, this room looks pretty small...", she whispered to herself... making me actually fear the number of books that Voile contained. I mean, this room here is HUGE.

I watched in silence and annoyance as Patchouli began to recite something from her book... making me realise something. _"WHY DIDN'T SHE JUST USE MAGIC TO SET UP THE BOOKSHELVES?"_

Anyways, hearing her talking in that foreign tongue sounded really strange... mysterious... kinda frightening, to be honest. After all, magic wasn't something you should just tinker with... One wrong word and... "...t-tele..telepo...MUYKU!"

_"Speaking of the devil... I wonder what will go wrooo..."_, even my thoughts went silent as I noticed the shadow on the ground beneath us... and upon looking up... _**"Aw. My. God." **_**"Now that... is a lot of books."** "So many of them~", cackled Flandre, staring at the books hovering directly beneath the ceiling... completely hiding it from view. From every. goddamn. angle.

"M-maybe if... maybe if we move veeery slowly towards the exit...", I whispered towards Patchouli, who nodded, while Remi and Flan sat on top of one of the bookshelves, laughing their asses off. "Y-yes, maybe if we..." Too late. The books stopped hovering... and fell down on us, burying us alive beneath books.

Somehow freeing myself from the ocean of books, I managed to look around the room... and went pale as I saw the mess... and how many books there were. Interestingly, the bookshelf Flan and Remi sat on had been spared by the wave of books...

"Mukyu!", hearing that familiar cough, I turned around and glared at Patchouli. "This... might take a while...", she admitted sheepishly... to which I just growled. "Uhm... Chôzen~", she began, smiling nervously into my direction. I clenched my fist. "...would you kindly help me aga...!", she never got further, as I jumped at her, pushed her down into the ocean of books. "I HOPE YOU DROWN IN YOUR LOVE FOR BOOKS!"

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><p><em>The next morning...<em>

Letting out a sigh, I gulped down what remained of my coffee... aw geez, that's right... I've got to help Patchouli clean up the library today... Aw man.

Setting the cup down on the table, I rose from my chair. It was daytime, Flan and Remi would be still asleep... and Patchouli would possibly sorting books... though I wished I would find her dying on the floor. As if I hadn't spend enough time on setting up those bookshelves... and now I am stuck with putting an ocean... I TELL YOU, AN OCEAN of books... into the bookshelves...why again did I agree to help her? Was it because I almost murdered her yesterday? ...or...

...it must have to do with that qoute she used... when she said it the first time, I actually agreed as well, though I didn't want to set up the bookshelves...

...just what the hell was wrong with that qoute "...would you kindly?" (1)

Anyways, since I agreed, I might as well just get this over with and help Patchouli... Can't be that hard to put AN OCEAN of books into GIGANTIC and HEAVY bookshelves...

...oh, I really feel like letting Insanity free on Patchouli...

Well, whatever.

As I entered the library, however, I should be quite surprised. Patchouli had, as it seemed, spend the night on freeing a large part of the ground from books... And there, she had drawn a crimson rune on the ground. The rune consisted of two large crimson circles, a crimson pentagram filling the smaller one, burning candles on each end of the pentagram.

In between the larger circle and the smaller one, Patchouli had drawn several symbols... they looked almost like a blue candelabra with four arms, the hilt under the second arm to right arm, a small moon located above it... the sign looked familiar to me, but somehow, I couldn't remember where I had seen it before...

Patchouli stood aside the large summoning circle... that is, what it was, right?

Anyways, Patchouli was speaking in that strange tongue again, which I couldn't understand at all... Though I felt like I heard an insult in there here and there...

Not wanting to dirsturb the magician, I turned to leave... when it suddenly happened: The flames of the candles on each end of the pentagram flickered... And then turned darklblue.

As I saw that, I hesitated... Especially as the summoning circle began to emit white light from within, and Patchouli fell onto her knees, and with a quick jump, I was beside her... God knows what happened to that crazy girl and what she tried to summon this time!

"Hey! Are you okay?", I asked her quickly, shaking her softly. "Ah... Good... that you are here, Chôzen...", coughed Patchouli, "...she needs something she can feed on, something to satisfy her hunger..."

Hearing those rather ominous words, I twirled around and stared at the summoning circle... Just in time to witness HER arrival.

She appeared out of the ground as if it was the surface of water, first her red hair and those small, black demon wings on her head, followed by her body... a body to die for... She clad it in a black robe, nothing more... Her devil tail and her black demon wings testament of what she was... She slowly rose her gaze, unfolded her arms, opened her crimson eyes and placed them on me... And it then dawned onto me why I had known that blue sign...

It was the same crest as on Nanatsu's stomach, along the other six... The crest of the seventh deadly sin... Lust... This, before me... This was...!

"Let her feed on you, Chôzen... Let her feed on your pent-up desire... all that desire that you gathered within yourself over the years of solitary, the craving for pleasure...", whispered Patchouli behind me... But it soudned afar, unaudible... Silent.

"You look... Delicious.", whispered an otherwordly voice, a thick, sultry whisper... no more than that. My eyes were glued onto her lips as she approached me, whispered sweet promises of love, satisfaction, desire and... pleasure...

I closed my eyes as she stood aside me, leaned my head sidewards, enjoying her hot, desirous breath on my neck as she ran her tongue over it, caressed it with kisses... I remembered Nanatsu that moment, our most intimate moments... the time we shared after our wedding... as we became soul-mates, lovers, shared our fates... I remembered it...

...until a stinging pain pulled me back into reality.

"KYAAAAH!", I screeched, one hand darting for my neck, held the spot that succubus had bitten me. "I'm sorry!", squealed the succubus in shock, every lust gone from her voice, "...I'm sorry, I overdid it, but you smelled so delicious!" I glanced sideways at the cute, shy succubus, my blood still on her lips and hands.

"He'll recover...", interrupted Patchouli, allowing me to move away from the succubus in order to get a clear head. "However...", mumbled Patchouli, mustering the succubus she had summoned, "...are you really the most powerful succubus, which Shinki had promised to send me in exchange for my faith?"

At that, the succubus began to chuckjle uneasily. "Fear not, milady...", she smiled. "Thanks a lot, Patchouli Knowledge! I offer you to help you, and you feed me to your new pet! I'm outta here! Ask me again tomorrow, maybe I changed my mind then, and help you!", I shouted from the entrance to the library, then bolted out of the door.

* * *

><p>"Are you really the best Makai has to offer?", murmured Patchouli, continuing to muster her new servant. "I beg to differ.", she added, coming to a stop before the succubus."If you really are the best Makai has to offer, I will laugh at Shinki from now on and just create a stupid, brainless golem or something.", huffed the magician.<p>

She was taken by surprise, however, as the succubus suddenly began to laugh, her voice back to the thick, sultry one."It is like I said, Patchouli Knowledge... Fear not, as for I am the hottest piece of ass Makai has to offer...", snickered the succubus, slowly licking the blood off her fingers with almost disgusting pleasure and satisfaction, right before she turned to Patchouli and began walking towards the magician, licking her lips in a way that made Patchouli shiver.

The magician hesitated as her new servant began to circle her, a lustful, hungry glow in her deep red eyes... "You are my mistress from now on, Lady Patchouli, and I shall follow your every wish...", whispered the sultry voice from behind the magician... before she let out a loud gasp, feeling her hair brushed aside, hot breath hitting her earlobe, tingling it...

"Your every fantasy... Even your darkest, most perverted ones... I am yours, Patchouli Knowledge... I am your little toy from today on... a very willing toy...", breathed her servant... before Patchouli gasped again as a skilled tongue began tracing her earlobe.

"Milady Patchouli... let me fulfill your every wish, your every fantasy, your dreams... I sacrifice everything to you, dedicate myself to you, would offer my body to you... and only to you... as for I am your loyal servant, Koakuma..."

* * *

><p><em>Meanwhile, Makai - Pandaemonium<em>

"Yumeko~", sung a certain goddesses voice, calling the blonde maid to her. "You called for me, milady?", asked Yumeko, as she stuck her head into the throne room of the almighty Shinki, her sometimes, and only sometimes, airheaded creator...

"I felt a great wave of faith coming my way... Do you think it was that of Patchouli Knowledge? You know, the magician I made a contract with last night? Her request surprised me... She must be a real pervert to request the strongest succubus I had to offer...", muttered the goddess, apparently seeking a second opinion on that matter.

"Milady... was it really wise to send Koakuma of all people? You know how she is... She pretends to be shy and unaware... but to her master she can be..." Yumeko shivered, remembering those days that she was put in charge of Koakuma. "Such skilled hands... they were all over me...", whispered the maid, shivering in fear even after the succubus was gone.

"Koakuma is Koakuma... And you know how interested she is in knowledge. Sending her to a librarian like Patchouli Knowledge was the only right decision. Pun intended.", chuckled Shinki. "...besides, Koakuma seemed really... interested... in her new mistress..." Yumeko blinked at the evil cackle of the goddess... and could only wonder for yet another time, if her mistress and creator Shinki sometimes just pretended to be an airhead...

* * *

><p><em>360 years ago, Outside World - France, Paris, Scarlet Mansion<em>

And so, time moved on. During the course of 25 years, only small things happened. Patchouli found out very quickly that she had to set up a barrier in between Chôzen and Koakuma once they were in close proximity... otehrwise, he would try to hit on the succubus, due to her natural succubus abilities of charming... It affected him more than Patchouli had guessed, since the path of nihilism should've prevented him from becoming affected...

...however, it might also have to do with the secret Koakuma refused to share with the others, the secret she had only told Patchouli herself, the secret as for why Koakuma pretended to be a shy person... while behind her mask, a seductress like no else rested...

However, it wasn't just happy-go-lucky in the Scarlet household, oh no! More and more often, humans would enter the mansion, mainly teenagers doing tests of courage or some shit like that. And Remi, having left behind most of her childishness / her childish playfulness, was more than annoyed by that... To be honest, she was so annoyed that she eventually gathered the inhabitants of the mansion for an emergeny meeting.

* * *

><p>Remi cleared her throat as she stood up, apparently trying to catch the attention that was already on her. She still was way short... but that didn't mean that she didn't evolve greatly... In fact, she had quite matured in personality, becoming the new head of the Scarlet clan... with a slight flaw, which my flame-soul called "Charisma Break"...<p>

"Alright, as you may all have noticed...", began the young Scarlet, standing at one end of the large dining table, me sitting on one side of her, and the four Flandres (yes, she was doing that again) sat on the other side next to each other, each of them with a lollipop in their mouth.

To my left was Patchouli Knowledge, and next to Patchy (I began calling her that a while ago) sat Koakuma, the young succubus... Of course, with an invisible magic barrier around her, so I wouldn't try to ravish her again... Man, that had been embarassing... and if Nanatsu ever gets a hold of that, I am dead.

"...more and more of those pests called human enter this mansion.", continued Remi, beginning to pace past me and Patchouli. "I wouldn't call them pests, Remi. I was once one of them too.", commented Patchouli, who was apparently a human-turned-youkai magician.

"Call them what you want!", snapped Remi, ignoring Patchouli's furhter actions. "Anyways, as I was going to say before Patche stopped be so..." "Ugh, this will take a while...", groaned Patchouli silently, resting her head onto the cool surface of the table. This allowed me to get a glance at Koakuma... and the little devil was flapping with her wings... both pairs of them. _**"Ugh, dammit, she's daaamn cute~"**_

"Any suggestions as for how we keep those annoying pests outside my mansion?", growled Remi, turning back to us after her kinda long rant about her being a descendant of Dracula, and those 'pests' daring to enter her mansion and defiling her name and that of Dracula and...we'll, we didn't listen to it at all.

"I could put up some barriers around the mansion.", suggested Patchouli, lifting her head. "Too risky. The humanity doesn't believe in magic anymore, and a magic barrier might draw unnecessary attraction.", replied, to my surprise, Koakuma. Well, she was kinda intelligent as well... I noticed that she and Patchouli are often arguing about complex spells and such...

"We could place a scarecrow.", joked Flandre 1. "Or we just put Onii-sama on top of the wall.", snickered Flandre 2. "We could put him on a stick. He would be like a scarecrow then.", the third Flandre added. "Wouldn't that hurt?", asked the fourth Flandre, that big smirk on her face as well. "Uhm.. Flan?", I asked uneasily, sweatdropping. _**"You know, that sure sounds painful. You better hope you get breaks."**_

"Hm... that would be complicated Flan... he wouldn't be able to play with us that way...", murmured Remilia. _"Is that all you care about?"_, I thought, somehow feeling like I could cry any second now, in my mind creating the image where I sat on top of a wooden stick, scaring humans away.

"...but the idea isn't that bad.", finished Remilia. "WHAAAA...?", I yelped. "Yes. The idea is indeed pretty good.", snickered Patchouli. "HUH?", I squealed, turning towards her. "Indeed!", exclaimed Koakuma... and I facedesked. **"BROHOOHOHOHO! God luck spending eternity on a stick, dude! You should get used to it pretty soon, though! Just don't move too much!"**, roared Insanity. Damn him...

"So a gatekeeper, it is.", spoke Remilia, crossing her arms. "I wonder where we get one from? One vicious enough to scare away humans...", muttered Patchouli. "I already have an idea.", smiled Remilia, turning towards the large double doors leading into the corridor. "I will be gone all night. Don't expect me to return before morning.", she exclaimed, throwing the doors open... and then, she just vanished like that.

"Hehehe.", I could heard the Flandres snicker. As I turned to Patchouli, I saw how they assembled to become one Flandre again, but I ignored it and turned to the magician. "Should I go after her?", I asked Patchouli. The magician nodded. "Please do so." I nodded, then stood up.

"Shooo... ish Onii-shama ghoing to end up on a sthick or what?", snickered Flandre... and as I turned to her, I sweatdropped as she sat there on her sisters chair, having four lollipops in her mouth, meaning the lollipops of the other three Flandres as well.

* * *

><p>Catching up with Remi wasn't that hard... though she was quick, she didn't exactly hurry this time... she was waaaay too confident. I wonder what she has planned?<p>

"Hm? Big bro, what are you doing here?", she asked as soon as I had catched up to her. She was flying aside me with her wings... I kinda miss flying... In Gensokyo, I could, but since there isn't enough magic in the outside world, I kinda have to rely on walking.

Anyways, this isn't Gensokyo anymore. This is the outside world. I am living with a family... to learn what it means to have one. Patchouli, Remi, Flan... even Koakuma... we are a family, aren't we? They show me what it means to have a family... so I can learn it... yet again... until I can reach my goal... Nanatsu. No. Taizai.

Also, as I myself had noticed... the nihilism had truly been broken by Rumia, as it seems. Ever since moving into the human world, it didn't work. I was careless, easily affected by emotions... It really had become useless, it seems...

"Where are we going?", I asked my 'younger sister'. "The foot of the nearby mountains.", replied Remi. "Foot of the mountains?",, I asked, glancing towards the mountains not too far from us... and found a trail of smoke rising into the heaven.

A group of extreme violent bandits has settled down there not all too long ago...", whispered Remi with a wide grin. A demonic grin. She was up to something, wasn't she? Seeing such a demonic smile on such a young girl seemed pretty wrong... but since I knew she was way older than what she appeared to be, I wasn't that surprised.

"What's that to do with the humans entering the mansion?", I asked her. "Oh... You'll see, dear brother... You'll see... Just le me do this... And do not interfere, alright? I need to do this alone..." I frowned at her, but agreed nontheless. Remi had planned something... I should trust her.

Anyways, just as I was about to ask her what she had planned, the young Scarlet rushed past me, left me behind. Well knowing that she exceeded me in speed, since she had the ability to fly, I just looked after her... and continued to walk towards the camp of the bandits. Slow. Remi should do whatever she pleases to...

...after all, Patchouli is their guardian, and has to take the full responsibility!

_**"Uhm... is that a trollface I see on your face?"**_

* * *

><p>As I finally reached the camp, I glanced around... burned down tents, broken bodies, the smell of death... not too surprising, actually... I had guessed as much. And guessing from the pools of blood everywhere, as well as the life-essence drained bodies... Remi must have been reeeally hungry. Either that... or there was another vampire here...<p>

_**"I'm getting the feeling that something else was here..."**_ I froze up, then turned to my left. My flame-soul hovered above another body... that of a middle-aged man with several scars in his face. Now illuminated by the flickering light of my flame-soul, as well as th bright glow of my eyes, I managed to make out several interesting features on this corpse.

A good chunk of his left shoulder was missing... but it hadn't been cut off... it had been ripped off. By sharp teeth. And not those of a vampire. Another interesting feature of this man was, that he apparently died by having his skull squished... something Remi would be unable to, as her hands were to small to fit around a grown mans head... also, there were the same bite marks on the neck of the man, a good part of it amiss as well...

**"That's not the only interesting thing... look at his lower arms... his shoulders... his clothes..."** Insanity was right. There were several more interesting things. A good example would be the burn marks all over his body... burn marks in the shape of hands... big hands. The same hands that had squished his skull. Also, his clothes were burned or at least singed in several locations... as if something hot had been placed on them...

No... this wasn't just Remi. There was something else here... something powerful... something that apparently wasn't out for blood... rather than that, whatever had been here and killed this man... it loved fresh meat. Living meat... this man had experienced horrible torture before his skull was smashed... before he died, a good part of his left shoulder had been ripped off and eaten... someone had burned his skin... then... had bitten into his throat...

I felt how my Youkai senses went into action, sharpened... my surroundings became obvious to me, every single noise and every smell... the smell of blood and death... and of fire. I still wonder what had burned those tents and humans... I know that Remi's Gugnir was powerful, yes, but it wasn't able to burn... No... something else, something powerful...

Suddenly, my Youkai senses, enhanced by the path of nihilism, tingled, allowed me just in time to avoid something being thrown. Landing on my feet, I looked up to see that something had crashed into a tent, igniting it... a deep hole was left in one of the walls... _**"I don't like this... I don't like this at all...!"**_ I could only agree with my flame-soul... something was wrong.

This couldn't have been Remi's plan... Yes, she fed on humans... but she wasn't some madwoman, she would never kill a human if it wasn't necessary... furthermore, even when she fed on them, they would stay alive, as Remi was a light eater... Usually, she would feed on them while they are asleep, in order to prevent herself from being revealed to be a vampire...

_**"Maybe we should check out whatever just hit the te..."**_ The tent suddenly went ablaze, was covered in a single flame, which produced a way too great heat to be a flame of normal origin... No, something was causing this flame...

I stared cautiously at the tent, waited for something to happen rather than getting myself into danger by nearing the flame... which suddenly extinguished, leaving nothing back but ash... and a single girl, standing there.

She had long, unkempt, dirty and wild scarlet hair, which reached down to her ankles. Her emotionless, crimson eyes let even me tremble in fear as I stared into the void they were... I felt like I was looking into a mirror, for some reason... the eyes... they looked like mine used to, back when the nihilism was still working...

All that she wore was a white, ripped dress, made from low quality fabric, worn out by time and living outside... Her skin was pale, dirty... scorched in several locations... She was thin, unhealthy thin, had apparently almost starved several times... Her body looked fragile, her arms as thin as twigs...

...but she was anything but human, that for sure. Something was terribly wrong with her, I knew it from the very second that I laid eyes onto her. It was the chill running down my spine, the fear I experienced as I looked into her eyes... the massive power I felt coming from her... power, going as far as rivaling that of Remi... exceeding that of Remi... that of Flan...! Power, rivaling my own...! Who... who was she?

"Oh my... you're still alive?", I heard Remi's voice from above me, and turning around, I found her flying above me, holding Gungnir towards the girl... which opened her mouth... and let blood flow from it. Disgusted, I took a step back... What in the name of the nihilism was going on?

The scarlet-haired girl tilted her head after the flow of blood stopped, looked questiongly at Remilia. "I see... you aren't able to talk, is that it? Do you even understand me?", muttered Remi, slowly descending, landing aside me. "Remi, watch out... s-something is wrong with her...", I whispered towards my 'younger sister'.

"I know...", mumbled Remi, "...she took three Gungnir already... one through her right shoulder, one through her hand... one through her head..." I froze up, my mouth falling open. "W-what?", I whispered, not believing my own ears... a girl, fragile and almost starving, taking three legendary spears, one through her head?

"Watch.", growled Remi, rising Gungnir... then threw it at the girl, which didn't even bother to step out of the way. The legendary spear hit her right through the left shoulder... forced her to take a step back... but that was it. Gungnir dissolved, returned to Remilia's hand... and I watched in horror how the wound of the scarlet-haired girl simply closed.

She looked at it, no emotion present in her eyes... then, she turned back to look at Remi. That younger sister of mine seemed irritated, I guess due to her opponent taking every of her attacks like they were nothing...Hurting Remi's pride effectively.

"Okay, now this is getting personal.", huffed the young vampire, preparing yet another time to thrown Gungnir... and when she did, this time, we both were left with wide eyes... shock, with other words. Fear. Panic.

Remi's opponent... had catched Gungnir out of the air... using just her left hand... and shattered it before our very eyes. And before either of us had realised that she had moved, the opponent hit me with an ellbow into the chest, send me flying through two tents, before I impacted painfully with the ground, not getting up again.

I just lay there on my back, panting... my body not responding to anything. Aw shit..._ "I think she got my spine!" _**"You've just got your spine broken by a young girl ellbowing you. Good job. What's next? Taking an arrow to the knee (2), maybe?" **_**"...where the hell should an arrow come from now?"**_

Ignoring them both, I hissed, managed to move my eyes... and found that my neck was indeed in a pretty weird angle to my body... So she broke my spine at the neck, huh? Good thing that I am a Youkai... It'll heal... but it STILL HURTS LIKE HELL!

Hearing an explosion not all too far away, I turned my gaze into that direction... and found, Remi avoiding several punches of that girl... her fists covered in fire. _**"SHE!"**_** "SHE?" **_"Apparently..." _So... so it was that scary girl, huh? She had burned everything... everyone... Why? And if she had burned them... what about the ripped off flesh? She would never be able to rip so much flesh out of the shoulder of a grown man...

I watched as Remi let herself fall backwards, in midair cutting herself in the right arm with a sharp nail of her left hand... and the blood that was spilled... formed a new Gungnir in her hand. She swung it around, used it like a sword, slashed the other girls forearms open... only for them to heal a second later.

"Just... what is she?", growled Remi, avoiding one of the girls punches. "She got the regeneration of a vampire, yet she isn't one!" I watched in shock how Remi managed to avoid a kick just barely, ducked underneath the next one and...

I gasped, tried to will my body up, as I saw it. The next punch got Remi in the stomach, caused her to double over... and seconds later, her clothes ripped around the punch, right before it threw her into the air. Watching in utter fear for my younger sisters life, I could only stare as she was sent up into the air, flew through it... and then impacted on a chest near me.

She just lay there... one arm dangling down... her head turned into my direction... her eyes empty... and that gigantic hole in her stomach. "REMIIIIIIIIII!", I roared, using all willforce I had to move my body... but for nothing, my spine broken, my body not listening to any command.

As I realised I couldn't move, I continued to stare at the vampire... and then, the scarlet girl, as she approached us. She stared down at Remi for a second... and then, turned to me. She opened her mouth, as if to speak, to taunt me... but no sound left it. Apparently, Remi was right, and this girl was unable to speak...

She just stood above me, looked down at me... before she rose her right foot and placed it above my head... She was going to squish me, wasn't she? "You... why did you kill my little sister?", I growled at her... but I sounded like a whimp, my voice trembling, shaking in sadness and fear... those void eyes, they remained on me... and then, suddenly, turned a bright yellow. She rose her foot a little higher... and then, moved it down.

And the very same second, I saw Remi appearing behind the girl, Gungnir already moving towards the girls neck.

She was hit right in the neck, her blood splattering onto me as she was sent flying, the spear having cut into her neck... I continued to pant like mad, stared at Remi, who stood now above me... panting like mad as well. "You... idiot, big bro...", she chuckled under her breath, taking her free hand off her stomach, to reveal to me how the hole was closing already, "...I am... a vampire... a... descendant of... Dracula himself... I'm not... going to die like that!"

I could just stare at her, even as she collapsed onto her knees. "W-what was that girl?", I whispered, watching as Remi bowed down above me. "I don't know... When I reached the camp... they all went straight at me... I took the first one and cut his throat... then killed one after another... When I saw her sitting by the campfire..., just... just staring into it with her... empty eyes...", growled Remi.

"Anyways, as I closed in on her, she suddenly moved... with such speed that even I didn't see her. She got me lucky... by surprise... and... ripped my arm off...", whispered the Scarlet against my neck... before she slowly sank her fangs into it. While she couldn't take any blood from me (she said it tasted horrible), I felt strength returning to me... and the numbness vanished as well.

Sitting up, I moved my fingers experimentally. "I healed you... gave you... some of my blood, but...", I watched as she cut her left wrist with Gungnir, "...take some more. You need to recover your spine completely...", she whispered, holding her wrist against my lips. Though I didn't really want to, I took a little of her blood... it tasted horrible.

"...you'll be getting a few ghoul abilities as of now... enhanced speed, enhanced regeneration... but it will subside quickly again..." I looked at Remi... and then, pulled her into a hug. "You stupid vampire.", I chuckled, ruffling her hair.

"But there is one question I still have...", I whispered, holding Remi close, "...who, or rather, WHAT bit those people and ate their flesh? I've seen a man, missing a shoulder and a part of his throat..." Remi shuddered all of sudden... Why was she...?

"...that girl." I flinched. "...before my very eyes, after she was hurten... she grabbed one of her own men... yeah, she belongs to that bandit group... anyways, she grabbed one of those men, her fists burning... he was screaming in agony... and then, she just bit into his shoulder, ripped it apart... and then... then she bit into his throat... ending his screams... but she left him on the ground, gurgling as he tried to breathe... and as it seemed to annoy her, she grabbed his head with her right hand... and squeezed until blood ran out of his eyes... and he stopped..."

I frowned, shuddered... "B-but Remi... s-she is too small for that!", I whispered into her ear, staring past Remi at the burning tents. "...it was horrible... before my eyes, she defor...", Remi stopped. I froze up. And then, slowly... we moved apart... and as we turned to our right... our breaths stopped.

Standing aside us with her emotionless, yellow eyes, staring down at us, looking perfectly fine... there stood that scarlethaired girl. "S-she...?", I gasped. "...I-impossible!", growled Remi.

Once again, that scarlethaired girls mouth opened... but just like before, no sounds came out of it. Both Remi and I watched in silent horror how her eyes began to glow brighter, became as bright as mine, merely yellow in color... and then, her body began to bulge.

_~Music cue: Black Night Funeral ~ Shanghai Alice of Meiji 17 ~_

There was no other way to describe it. Her body began to bulge outwards, beginning with her feet, which turned, as she stood there, into what appeared to be scaly claws, a brown-green to black scale color with black talons. Slowly, her legs turned into scales as well, the transformation moving like a wave that rushed over her skin... As the transformation was finished; Remi and I stared at the same girl as before... only had her body, save for have face, turned into... a dragonic one.

She was standing on her hind legs, her fragile body having turned into a slighty more muscular, yet not as fragile appearing version of it. On her head, she now had branch-like horns, pointing to the back. Two huge wings had appeared on her back, though they looked weak, possibly unable to lift her into the sky... also, her scarlet hair had turned into a bright crimson... and a dragon tail with a sharp brown tailblade had appeared behind her.

She opened her mouth once more, but yet again, no sounds left it. Before either I or Remi could do anything, she swung around, hit me with her tail, threw me once more through the air... this time, however, I didn't impact as hard, and my spine actually stayed intact.

With me out of the way, she focused on what seemed to be her original target: she opened her mouth, her throat began to glow... and just in time, Remi managed to avoid in the air, the breath of fire missing her, though it singed her dress at the lower end.

The dragon bandit girl rose her gaze into the heaven, focused on Remi... and then, spat out several fireballs. Remi dodged by twirling in midair, threw another Gungnir... and left me surprised when she hit her goal... the legendary spear thrown right into the mouth of the bandit girl... causing it to go right through the back of her mouth, and re-appear through her neck.

But as I had, for some reason, already foreseen, that strange girl just closed her mouth, bit down on Gungnir, causing it to shatter.. and the hole in the back of her head just closed up as soon as the spear was gone. And with the hole gone, the fire returned.

Remi dodged it again, but seemingly had enough of this. Using her blood, she created Gungnir again, held it in her right hand... and slashed through the fireballs coming at her, slashed as she dove towards the strange girl.

The scarlethaired girl, now crimsonhaired, blocked the legendary spear with her scaly forearm. While the spear didn't pierce it, it did scar the scales lightly. Putting one foot against the bandit girls face, Remi pushed herself off and rushed back into the air, from where she threw Gungnir, the legendary spear which never missed.

It did hit indeed, pierced through the dragon girls chest... but broke at the same time. And just like before, the strange girl merely flinched, did show no signs of pain or exhaustion... but anger. Blind anger...

...Remi had unleashed the real evil in that second. The real beast inside the emotionless girl... as she, before our eyes, began to transform again... her skin bulging outwards, her yellow eyes beginning to glow brightly from within, her claws retreating into her body...

...as the transformation was over, I looked at a gigantic beast. A dragon... one of the legendary chinese dragons, a dragon head on a gigantic snake's body...

Remi gasped, took a step back, then rushed towards me and grabbed me, and together with me, dove in behind a tent's remains, just in the right moment... a gigantic fireball exploded in behind us, leaving back a crater. "Oh great, of all the mighty Youkai outside there, she HAD to be a dragon!", roared Remi in anger.

Dragons... considered one of the mightiest species of Youkai out there, along with vampires and werewolves... "What is a dragon doing here, in France? And a chinese one at that?", I mumbled, hiding behind the tents remains with Remi.

"I don't know... I came here to recruit the strongest bandit to be our gatekeeper... Who... who would've guessed that one of them was a Youkai, and a dragon at that?", growled Remi under her breath. Another explosion shook the earth, a tent dissolved in fire.

"I thought, chasing down the most fearsome group of bandits would mean that there is one among them that would change the dirty life as a rat for becoming a gatekeeper... I didn't really believe that there was a Youkai hiding among them...!"

Suddenly, the tent behind us vanished in fire, and upon turning around, we found the gigantic dragon above us. "It had the shape of a small girl... the perfect disguise!", I growled, grabbing Remi and throwing her over my shoulder, jumping out of the way of a fireball.

I landed on the dragon's head, but jumped away again, well knowing that I was in utter danger. And indeed, the moment I was in midair, he tried to bite into me, but luckily miscalculated the distance between me and him, which allowed me to fall past his muzzle and land on the ground.

There, I jumped away again, right before the gigantic beast rushed at the point I landed... and actually vanished in the ground, leaving a giant hole. "It can dig?", I roared, just before I felt the ground beneath me shake. Knowing was this meant, I jumped away again, landed on one of the tents that hadn't burned down, just as the giant dragon appeared out of the ground.

Before I could do anything else, Remi broke free and pushed me away, which allowed her to charge at the dragon, Gungnir in her right hand. She stabbed the dragon into its muzzle, pulled on it and slashed through the scales, before Gungnir broke and Remi rushed away.

The dragon roared in pain, shook his head, splattering blood onto the ground. The vampire extended her wings again, rushed towards the dragon. But the dragon swung it's head around, hit Remi with it, sending her crashing into the tent I stood on. It collapsed beneath my feet, but I did not fall onto the ground, as I jumped in time.

Landing aside Remi, I tried to warn her, but she just opened her eyes and stood up, walking past me. She looked really worse, her dress ripped in many places, wounds and blood staining her pale skin. Her mob cap had gone lost at some point...

"This... will drain all my strength...", she whispered as she passed me,. raising her hands in front of her chest, holding them like claws. "...should I fall, I want you to carry me home, brother...", she added, before she rose her right hand.. and cut with it through her own skin... cut her whole left arm open.

I could only gasp as I saw the blood being drained from her arm... gathering into her right hand... turning into a Gungnir that was almost twice her size. She rose it, just with her right hand, aimed at the large dragon... and as it charged at her, tried to swallow her in one bite, she threw. And as the dragon and the spear collided, there was one giant, scarlet light... and then, it was over.

When I opened my eyes, I found that Remi had at one point fallen backwards, and that I had catched her... and the giant dragon had turned back into that girl... Putting Remi soft onto the ground, I turned again towards the girl, looked at her as she just lay there on her back, stared into the stars, panted, breathed heavily...

I don't know what caused me to, don't know if it was curiosity or fear... but I stepped over her, looked down at her... stared into those emotionless eyes... Had she... had she...? **"No. She never has walked the path of nihilism... I don't feel any powers... no powers into that direction. However... this girl nontheless has exceeding power... she really seems to be a dragon Youkai... a dying dragon."** I sighed. _"So she will really die? Is that what you say?"_ **"I don't know what could prevent her from. That final spear... It went right through her chest... Just look down and see how she dies a horrible, pityful death..."**

_~ Music change: Silver Forest - Cross Mind~_

I sighed. Indeed, the girl to my feet, she had her eyes fixed on me... but this time, I saw an emotion inside those eyes of her, even though they still looked empty... Fear. Fear of death. In a way... In a way, she and I were alike. After all... walking the path of nihilism... I walked it because I too feared death...

Seeing her lie to my feet was a horrible sight. She was twitching a little as she tried to breathe in, but found that the air she breathed in remained in her chest... her lungs seem to be damaged. But as I looked into her eyes, I didn't only see fear... she pleaded me for help... help I couldn't give to her... to that poor thing...

**"You could... end her suffering."** "Forget it...", I whispered to him, before I bowed down next to that scarlethaired girl. I put a hand onto her head, slowly stroke through it. Putting the girls head onto my lap after I sat down, I never took my eyes off her... Even though her eyes scared me... I stared back, gazed deep into them, trying to at least give her the feeling of someone being there... she should not die alone.

I could see that, though she lived among others, she had always been alone... the poor girl. I understand what she must feel right now. She doesn't seem to be very old... Maybe a century, maybe two... maybe longer, I can't say. Youkai grow different. Youkai that come to live just like that, born by nature, age different... often slow, sometimes fast. Some grow in several days into an adult appearing being... others need centuries to get the body of an adolescent.

Youkai born naturally, Youkai with a father and a mother, often age rather quickly. They often age like a human would age, stop to age once they are 25 or something around that. They achieve the body of an adolescent at 13 or 14, end to age at about 25... and stay like that for centuries.

Youkai that were once human age slower once they turn into one, Youkai born from animals often achieve humanc bodies as they become a Youkai... Youkai born from forgotten objects are the same.

And Youkai that are created by nature aren't always born knowing what and who they are... Many of the Youkai born from strong forces, like emotions or nature itself, often don't have any recollection of why are are and who they are... they awake, knowing nothing at all...

When I was 'born', I remembered nothing. I just lay on the ground like that, stared into the eternity of the starry night above me. I didn't know anything... the first thing I did was looking at my hands, wondering what and who I was... with each day that came... or maybe it were years, I can't say, as I had no idea of time and space... I slowly began to realize what I was capable of... and then, that name popped into my head... 'Chôzen Gekido'... and I became that.

During the following time (again I can't exactly say as for how long it was, as I began to gain a sense of time and space just then), I searched to fill that nothingness inside me... as for that is what you feel when you are just born as Youkai from nature. I filled the nothingness by learning to write... to read... to speak... I hadn't known any of that before.

Eventually, as I could do all that... I still felt empty. Other Youkai that had done the same were different... they knew what and who they were, had stopped to feel the nothingess... the nothingness I couldn't abandon. I went out and tried to find something that filled the nothingness.. I found nothing. I was weak, easily broken because of my difference to others... When I realized that I was different, I wanted to become indifferent. To not care about it. I just wanted to feel...

...I know, its a sad excuse. In the end, I wanted to overcome my own weakness...

She must feel the same. Now I remember why her empty eyes scared me... they reminded me of my own weakness... of who I had been. Of the nothingness that had tormented me for so long... she too seems to have found nothing to filll the nothingness.. the loneliness.

...was it her purpose to die then?

Many Youkai born into this world are too weak... die within days. If there were to be born a Youkai by nature, that represented the nature... but there was already one, one stronger... the younger Youkai would possibly perish. Never turn into the same that the already existing Youkai was. It had nothing to do with there already being one of them... it was rather, that even though there existed already one, nature tried to create another one... to be honest, it takes several tries to create a Youkai. (3)

I do not doubt that there had been several me's before me... me's that died within days, as for they were to weak... It is just that I was the first sucessful try... or maybe the second or third, I can't say.

Was it her purpose to die then?

No. The answer was no . She had existed to exist. She was because she was. It was just that she would encounter us... and then die...

It was her purpose to be.

"Dragon..." I looked up to find Remi standing above us, looking down at that dying girl... Her death would be a pity. "...dragon. I see you are to face death right now...", whispered Remi. The dying girl on my lap choked, her empty eyes fixed on Remi.

"...do you want to live?"

Hearing Remi's question, I gasped, surprised. **"The death of that girl is unavoidable."**, whispered Insanity in my head. **"Death is unavoidable."** "I... could change your fate... if you... work for me... If you... would dedicate yourself to me, and only me...", whispered Remi. **"Death cannot be avoided..."** The girl on my lap twtiched, shivered... but then... then she extended her hand towards Remi, as if to grab her, as if Remi was all she held onto... "I see... Then I shall change your fate... From now on, you are mine, do you understand?"

**"DEATH IS UNAVOIDABLE!"**, roared Insanity inside me, and I felt him take over the body. He tried to reach out to Remi, tried to choke her... I felt his rage at the young vampire... but he never go to release it... We doubled over as the ellbow was removed from our stomach... and then, fell to our side... with him vanishing again.

I growled to myself, the pain almost unbearable... turning to look at the scarlethaired girl, she looked back at me... and then, flashed me a small smile...

_~Music end~_

* * *

><p><em>About 330 years ago, Outside World - France, Paris, Scarlet Mansion<em>

I looked down the path leading through the garden... it was quite nice, seeing the summer sun shine down on all those beautiful flowers... Looking back, I never had guessed that the garden could look like this. After the death of the Scarlet sisters parents, the garden began to die away... the sisters had no idea of how to keep the garden... Not that I did a better job at it, it continued to rot away, to die... But now... now the garden was a fascinating mix of colors, the flowers, ever so beautiful, reflecting their colors against the sun's light.

The sun sure was bright today... A friday, by the way, the only day in the week that I do not sleep. Why? Well, buying groceries at night was as good as impossible, even with all those "24-Hour Supermarkets" around. It just felt wrong going there at night, so I decided to visit the city on fridays, to buy the groceries we needed.

I let out a small sigh of contentness, let the sun fall onto my skin, let the warm feeling spread in me, and humming a small tune, I began to walk down the path, enjoying the color of all those beautiful flowers. Eventually, as I reached the open gate, I walked through it, left the walls of the Scarlet Mansion behind...

"Good morning, Mister Gekido. Heading out, I see?" I stopped, then turned around and looked at the person that the beautiful, but very serious and kinda hard voice belonged to. "That is right, Meiling. I am heading to the city.", I replied just as serious.

The scarlethaired gatekeeper of the Scarlet Mansion, Hong Meiling, bowed very gracefully, before she turned to stare right ahead, dusting her green beret and her green traditional chinese dress. She made sure to get all the dirt off the golden star on her beret, though, her very pride, as it declared "dragon" in chinese.

I nodded to her a last time, and we locked our gazes. She stared into my bilious green glowing eyes, which were quite unsettling even to myself, while I stared into the emotionless, aqua-colored eyes of hers. And then, we turned away, she turned to stare straight ahead, while I turned to the city.

Though her eyecolor had changed after Remi had changed her fate... they still carry the emotionlessness within... no. It was years ago that I had learned that it had not been emotionlessness within... it was rather an obvious emotion, an emotion I shared with her...

...it was the hatred. The hatred for life...

Anyways, I wasn't as scared of her as I had been 30 years ago... I accepted her quite easily, to be honest, and was one of the first to welcome her as a "family member" at the Scarlet Mansion... However, Meiling and I never were really social to each other. She was she, I was I. We greeted each other, would exchange a few, objective words on the weather or location, but never something personal.

That was just the unspoken rule in between us.

The unspoken rule in between two beings that hate the life.

* * *

><p><em>Present, Gensokyo - Underground, Bridge People no Longer Cross<em>

But then, it came, that fateful day... I remember it only to well now, one of the darkest stains in my history... the point in my past, that had been stained with the most blood... I bet even the book in Shikieiki's court is written with blood on those sites...

I am on the bridge people no longer cross, the bridge that Parsee Mizuhashi guards, the bridge princess that agreed to guide me, Rumia and Nanatsu into the ancient city, from where I plan to head to Chireiden, in order to meet that crazed hell raven... someone needs to give her a good beating.

But even though I heard Parsee tell Nanatsu that they were ready to go... I continued to stand on the bridge, looking down into the dark water that flew beneath... I didn't turn towards them.

"A yen for ya thoughts?", asked a bold voice, and upon looking to my right, I found Rumia Shisô, the angel of darkness and death, the angel I had fallen in love with, sit on the red, wooden railing, staring into the water as well, as if she could see my past there...

"Don't mind me, I am just... reminiscing...", I muttered. "Don't seem to be good memories you have there.", she chuckled, surprising me. "...you had your face all distorted into pain and hate...", she explained. "You could say that...", I chuckled, turning towards her, "...even my past, the past of a nihilist, is stained with blood of other beings."

She rose an eyebrow. "So? Care to share your memory?", she asked... but I shook my head. "No. This memory should stay mine... it is too horrible.", I muttered, still looking down into the water, even as I felt two arms slip around me, a head being laid onto my left shoulder. "Poor Chô...", sighed Nanatsu into my ear.

"Tch.", I murmured, still looking into the dark water beneath. No... these were memories to stay mine, far too horrible to be shared...

Poor... poor Flan...

* * *

><p><em>305 years ago, Outside World - France, Paris, Scarlet Mansion<em>

I just sat in the library with Patchouli, enjoying a chinese tea Meiling had brewed... it is hard to believe, but sometimes, the gatekeeper of ours would also perform maid duties, like brewing teas or cleaing up. She sure was a help... and not one day, she complained... She even admitted to Patchouli that she enjoys doing her duties, meaning being a gatekeeper and sometimes a maid. It had given her something to live for, and she would do everything to keep things as they were now... even though she had quite a handful to do, with christmas being almost here.

Remilia Scarlet had offered her a second chance, a purpose, something to live for. For that, she was incredibly grateful, and felt that she owed her something. As well as she believed that she owed Patchouli something, as Patchouli had been the person to teach her to write, read and speak.

Sometimes, Meiling would play with the younger Scarlet, which had taken quite a liking to the gatekeeper, not only because Meiling had endurance to match her own... neither me, nor Remi, would ever be able to play as long as Flandre, as the younger Scarlet did not only possess the stronger abilities, but also the greater endurance of the sisters.

It was a rather peaceful day, Patchy (man, she hated that nickname) was just sitting there, Koa (she on the other hand loved her nickname, given to her by Flandre) was flying over there, sorting books... Remi had probably just awoken, while Flan was still asleep. And Meiling was on duty, as usual. And, just as usual, in about fifteen minutes, I would head to the kitchen to prepare dinner for Meiling, then go outside and give it to her, would go back inside, and about half an hour later, I would head out once more to retrieve the dishes from Meiling, before I would go back inside and play with the sisters. That would've been the usual.

Would've been how the night SHOULD HAVE went. But instead, things happened quite different from that...

The first bad sign was, as Meiling threw the door open, actually ripping it out of it's hinges, sending it flying through the library, and almost hitting Koa. "Lady Patchouli! We are being attacked!", hissed the dragon, holding her left arm, blood running down on it... It seems that whatever hit her, must've gotten her before she coudl change into her dragon form.

"Attacked?", muttered Patchouli, looking up from her book. Meiling nodded, growling under her breath. "Please come with me and confront those enemies. They wish to talk to the owner of this mansion." "But I am not...?", it seemed to hit Patchouli that moment. "I see. Of course, we can't let Remi go there... I am one of the only people in this mansion that appears to be still human...", muttered Patchouli. "..aside my hair, of course." _**"And your clothes, toots**__!"_**, **commented my flame-soul inside my head.

Patchouli rose from her seat. "Very well... Chôzen, please come with me. Koa, you as well.", muttered the magician, heading towards the door. The succubus and I rushed to the magician's side as we stepped into the corridor... I opened up my mouth and swallowed my flame-soul in the process... a human should not see it, after all.

"Listen up... I want you to speak, Chôzen, as you bought this mansion decades ago.", muttered Patchouli. I nodded. "Koa, please remain behind me, but prepare for everything. We don't know how dangerous those enemies are.", muttered Patchouli, turning to Koakuma. "I will, Lady Patchouli. Shall I release...?" "No.", replied Patchouli in a harsh tone, interupting her servant. Koakuma bowed. "Very well, Lady Patchouli.", she muttered.

"Chôzen, we should try to make them go away without attacking us... I fear they are pretty dangerous, Meiling is not someone to be hurten lightly. YOU of all people should know that." I growled at Patchouli's statement, but she took no further notice. Instead, she stopped. "Meiling, show me your arm.", commanded Patchouli.

Now Meiling wasn't one to trust many people, and she still held somewhat of a grudge against Patchouli for no apparent reasons, even though she respected the magician. So, though hesitantly, Meiling, who was guiding us, stopped and turned around, taking her hand off her bleeding arm, which Patchouli began to examine. "So the wound doesn't heal...? I see, a primitive weapon... a gun... a silver bullet, ah...", murmured the magician of elementals, before she rose her hands.

She placed them on Meilings arms and closed her eyes, right before she began to glow a light grey. Seconds later, the bullet shot out of Meiling's arm and fell into Patchouli's awaiting hand. "Contains metal...", she muttered to herself, before she closed her hand... and upon opening it, she presented a small, silver bird, which then flew away. "We should hurry.", was all Patchouli said, before she stepped into the foyer, and opened up the large double doors leading into the garden.

I was the first one to step outside, followed by Meiling, then Patchouli and then Koakuma. Going down the six stairs that lead up to the double doors, I could already see the large crowd of humans. They were all wearing some kind of bullet-proof armor, though... this was no normal human visit... no normal humans from the city...

"I have heard you are seeking for me?", I asked, as I stood at the foot of the stairs, the garden in between me and the humans. "Then you have heard wrong.", growled the man at the front. I rose an eyebrow at that. "Then you are at the wrong mansion. This behind me, is my mansion, as for I have bought it.", I growled, pointing over my shoulder, making sure not to open my mouth too wide.

"No... we are at the right mansion... you are just not the real owner, that is all, Chôzen Gekido, Youkai of Negativity." I flinched as the man spoke, surprise shot through me. "Oh yeah, we are pretty aware of you and your life... You have already been observed twice by us, once since about your birth, another time about 1100 years ago, but you have escaped us two times... Yukari Yakumo, the other Youkai that keeps on vanishing from our vision, has been seen with you, so I am guessing you were in her world."

"Who the **FUCK ARE YOU?"**, I and Insanity roared. "I am Colonell M. Hawkins, leader of the troupe YY of the International Demon and Youkai Observence Squad. We are here in order to retrieve the mistress of this house, a vampire named Remilia Scarlet.", as he spoke, he narrowed his eyes at me, and so did I. "What if I refuse to hand over Remi, just like that?", I growled. "We will take her with force. So move out of the way, Youkai.", he growled.

Seeing as there was no other way, I turned around to Patchouli, in order to know what she thinks about it... but Hawkins beat me to it. "Chôzen Gekido... do you know the secret of Troupe YY?", he chuckled, leaving out a demonic chuckle. I turned back to him.

"Only Troupe YY knows of three Youkai... these three Youkai have never ever been seen by someone else, and are considered a rumor... but we know they exist... Yes... Chôzen Gekido, Insei no Youkai... Yukari Yakumo, Sukima no Youkai... Nanatsu no Tai...GUH!"

"Don'tcha dare... saying her name again... **FUCKHEAD!**", I whispered into his ear, the scythe stabbed through his chest... it wasn't a lethal wound... but it would surely give him the pain of his life... I pushed him back, send him to the ground... and released the flame-soul from my body being opening my mouth.

"You... I should've... known...!", growled Hawkins on the ground, making me smirk in a very demonic way. "Nwo then, continue... You should be able to do that, I missed your lungs... Next time, I might hit...", I chuckled, bowing down before him, staring into his face, distorted in anger and pain.

"You... moved into this mansion... about eight decades ago and... adopted the Scarlet sisters... Patchouli Knowledge...human-turned-youkai-magician... moved in as well... and then... those two...!", he pointed past me at Meiling and Koakuma. "Oh? You don't know them?", asked Patchouli. "No... data on them... don't know... who the fuck they... ARGH!"

Hawkins screamed out in pain as Meiling stepped onto his head. troupe YY had their weapons pointed at us by now, but did not shoot... Hawkins had to command them to. "Listen up... **FUCKHEAD**... I'm not going to give you my family... **YOU GOT ME, SHITHEAD?"**, I roared. "A-attack!", growled Hawkins, to which the troupe aimed at us and pulled the trigger, but Patchouli moved quickly and summoned a magic shield in front of us.

_~ Music: Metroid Prime 1 - Meta Ridley ~_

"CHÔZEN! MEILING!", she roared, telling us to get ready. We nodded and prepared to fight, while Patchouli turned to Koakuma. "Inform Remi, Koa! Then head to the balcony in the first story, at the front!", growled the magician, nodding to the balcony above the entrance. Koakuma nodded, then rushed inside the mansion again, while I turned to Meiling and exchanged a glance with her. She nodded to me, then opened her mouth and began to gather air in order to activate her fire.

I waited until the fire was filling up Meiling's mouth completely and was already partially leaving her mouth... then I turned to Patchouli. "NOW!", I roared, and then jumped backwards, landed with a backflip on the fountain. Patchouli broke her own shield, then jumped back as well, using an air spell to let herself fly backwards to the balcony, throwing lightning spells at the enemy.

The moment the shield broke down, Meiling released the fire inside her mouth in a fireball, which none of the enemies did see coming. I watched pleased as some of them dissolved immediately into ash, while others began to burn, running around in order to get the fire out somehow. But it was only a small part of our enemies, the rest rushed into the garden... only to be hit by lightning. About twenty of them let out one last scream of agony, as their bodies were roasted by the lightning, then they fell over, remained on the ground. Dead.

I growled, watched as six of them, standing in a circle formation, aimed their guns at me... surely, filled with silver bullets. And even I can't fully withstand those, as I am a Youkai, too. Jumping just in time, I managed to avoid the bullets as they were shot. I landed in between a group and moved my ellbows back, hitting two of them in the back of the head. Hearing their spines snap, I moved my arms forwards, rammed my palms against two more of them, send flying through the garden and impacting with the walls on each side of the gate, their spines breaking as well.

The remaining two were more of a problem, but as I ducked as they shot their weapons, I could only watch in amusement how they shot each other in the forehead. Seeing them fall dead to the ground, I jumped back onto the fountain, in order to avoid another bullet,and glanced to my right, where Meiling fought.

She was still in her humanc appearance, killing those soldiers with her bare hands, the expression of a madman on her bloodstained face as her hands moved through them like a warm knife through butter. "Do something! This one's slaughtering us!", roared a soldier, right before his head got in between Meiling's palms, causing it to shatter.

Another man shot a silver bullet right through her right shoulder, and for a moment I thought I saw the event from forty years ago, where Remi threw her spear through Meiling's shoulder, but this time, the woman didn't even take a step back, though her skin began to sizzle as the bullet burned her flesh.

Patchouli, which had retreated onto the balcony and had placed a table sidewards, hiding behind the tabletop, muttered a quick metal spell... and the bullet shot out of Meiling's arm, and hit the man who shot it into the forehead, killing him. So it seems Patchouli was going to help us by using spells on us, huh? Not that I mind... They weren't going to work on me, anyways, I couldn't be affected by spells like this... with my negation activated. There was that small problem. Not active, I could be affected, one it was active, no spell could affect me... besides if he was put onto me before my negation was activated.

"A thousand punches are thrown in a second, mountains crack open and shocked the world...", whispered Meiling all of sudden, surprising me. She stood on one leg, her fists at her sides and her eyes closed. No... she was really going to use this ability? "Ghost and demons cry in fear, that was what made Meiling's name...", she continued.

Suddenly, she slid over the ground without changing her position, hit a group of those guys... and for a second, everything went black. Just for one second. As the second was over, the guys lay dead on the ground, and Meiling stood over them, her left fist thrusted into her right palm, her eyes closed. "Chuugoku Satsu.", she muttered calmly. (4)

A bullet grazed my arm, causing me to gasp in pain as my skin was marred, and I had to turn away from Meiling. Turning back towards the gate, I found one of the man aiming at me, shooting again... he hit my leg, which immediately gave in, causing me to fall off the fountain... and into the water.

Just as planned.

"BILIOUS GREEN ACID!", I spoke into the water... to which it began to glow around me, turning indeed bilious green.

Some of the men stood by the fountain, leaned over the railing and looked into it. "Did I get him?", asked the soldier that had shot. "I think so. That shithead won't..." Just in that moment the whole water began to glow a bilious green... and shot into the heaven.

The fourteen men that looked into the water continued... until they collapsed, revealing that their upper bodies had been molten off, being reduced to bones. Acid of the highest quality, acid, which doesn't make any difference in between alive and dead, burns and melts through everything... almost nothing could represent the nihilism so well.

I landed on the ground before the fountain, the water being gone... that was the downside of that ability. I can ony use it in small bodies of water, which will then perish... negated.

Looking up, I found myself looking into the barrel of a weapon... which then fell onto the ground before me. Looking up, I found the man holding it having no face anymore. My flame-soul hovered over to me, having burned his face before. _**"Ya okay?"**_, it asked, to which I nodded.

Turning around, I found that the doors had been opened... some of the soldiers were inside the mansion already.

"DAMN IT!", I roared, dancing under a weapon one man tried to hit me with, then I smashed his head. "Meiling!", I shouted, looking over to the woman, which was just turning into a half-dragon, scaring the shit out of about ten soldiers, which quickly tried to flee... a well-aimed fireball let them flee... into their death, as it burned through their bodies, left back a giant hole in each of them.

She turned to look my way, extending her wings... and suddenly rushed at me. I rose my eyebrows in shock, lifted my arms to block her attack... but she rushed past me, the sound of bodies being broken reaching my ears. Turning around, I found that Meiling stood aside the wall, her hands pushed through two bodies. "What?", she snarled, twirling around, her tailblade cutting through another soldier.

"Damn it, just how large is that troupe of his? ANYWAYS! You think you, Patchy and Koa can hold this line?", I shouted back. "Will do.", she growled, her body beginning to bulge again. "I'm going inside and stop them! Don't get yourself hurten, and call for help if you need some!", I shouted, before I turned towards the mansion, picking up one of the weapons on the ground.

"Tch. As if I would need help.", snickered Meiling, being in her "berserker mode", her eyes glowing crimson... right before her body bulged for another time... and she turned into that gigantic dragon, curling around the mansion. "Abandon all hope, ye who entered here...", echoed Meiling's voice all around.

I could see the panic in the eyes of the soldiers now... pitiful, if you think that those soldiers were trained to expierence no fear... were trained to fight us Youkai, and Demons... They tried to run, but failed badly, as Meiling breathed a flame, which hit the ground right before the gate, creating a large wall of fire. Looking through that wall, I could also see that all those, who had not entered the garden yet, had been slashed apart by Meiling's tailblade.

"Good luck!", I screamed up to the tall dragon, then made a dash for the front door. Just as I entered, I could hear Patchouli recite another spell, while Koakuma was also chanting... knowing the fighting style of these two, Koakuma is chanting to strengthen Patchouli's spells.

Anyways, now inside the mansion, I could already see several fights, fairy maids against those guys... It was one big mess inside the foyer, blood and bodies everywhere... well, no fairy bodies, as they dissolve into sparkles as they are killed.

_~Music change: Soundholic - Priere~_

I dashed past a fight in between a soldier and three fairy maids carrying spears. The guy wasn't careful enough, and distracted by me, he never saw how his head was impaled by three lances at once. I ducked underneath a thrown lance, having only one goal in mind: Remi and Flan's bedrooms. I had to make sure they were safe.

I turned around as I rushed through the fights, pointed the weapon I picked up before at a group of five soldiers... pulling the trigger once, the rapid fire kicked in, and the five fell to the ground, dead. I twirled around again, swung the weapon as I did so, avoided one soldier and smashed the head of the other one with the weapon, the threw it away.

Rolling past the corpses of three soldiers, I picked up two new weapons, held them as I charged around the corner... and got a bullet into my right leg. Falling flat onto my face, I growled in anger... oh no, I wasn't going to be stopped by those pitifuly guys! I wasn't going to let them destroy my family!

I rolled onto my back, pulled the triggers of both weapons at once... that guy took about 200 bullets into his chest, then fell onto his back, dead before he even hit the ground. I rose from the ground, throwing both weapons away, as they were useless without ammunition... then, though my mind was set on reaching Remi and Flan in time, I rose my foot... and kicked the corpse of that guy into the side, send it flying across the foyer, hitting another guy and causing him to fall over.

Now, enraged and actually close to simply snapping, I turned back to the stairs and climbed them in a matter of seconds, then turned right and dashed for the next staircase. As I stood to it's lower end, a man came rolling down, dying in the process, some enraged fairy maids standing atop the stairs. Suddenly, their heads shot into the air, right before they dissolved along their bodies.

A man stood now on the upper end of the staircase, pointing his weapon at me. "Move out of the way or you die.", I snarled. "The only one going to die is you.", snickered that man. "Move. Out. Of. The. Way.", I repeated, feeling the anger in my rise again. "Nope~ Make me.", he replied. "Move. Out. .WAY!", I roared, dashing up the stairs.

THIS ALL PISSES ME OFF! ALL THIS SHIT! THOSE GUYS! COMING AND DESTROYING OUR LIFE! OUR FAMILY! WE HAD JUST FOUND TO EACH OTHER! I HATE THEM! HATE THEM FOR WHAT THEY DO! THEY WILL SUFFER! DIE! I MAKE THEM DIE IN THE MOST PAINFUL WAY I KNOW!

The man shot. The bullet his my shoulder. He pulled again. The bullet grazed my face, cut through my left chest. He shot again. The bullet pierced my forehead. He stopped, his smirk turning into fear. He pulled again. And again. And again. The closer I came, the quicker he pulled the trigger. The bullets hit me, burned into my skin... three into the chest, two into the shoulder, three into my arm, four into my face... and I was still running.

And then, his weapon clicked. Run out of ammo. He stared down at it in fear... and as he rose his eyes, he met mine. "Enjoy your trip, **FUCKHEAD!**", I roared, pushing my fist into his abdomen. He was ripped off his feet, thrown into the air... and there, dissolved, turned into nothingness.

Staring down at my own fist, I found it enclosed in a green flame... negative energy, gathered in such density that it had ignited itself... I had... negated that man... pulled him out of the circle of life and death. Obliterated him from existence. Made him become none... I had used the ability I feared... and it only reminded me why I feared it.

The flame around my hand extinguished. I moved the hand experimentally... and then, felt something come through. At first, I thought I was going to shed tears... but then, I felt myself begin to smile... I fell to my knees, still staring at my own hand... and began to laugh.

For a moment, I thought I had gone insane... well, more insane than I already was. Feared that my insane side had won once and for all... but that stopped as I realized why I laughed... why tears were running down my face. I had realized. I had realized that I had realized that this all... this whole **SHIT** my life had become after I left Nanatsu...

...didn't have to be.

I realized that I could've prevented this all from happening... if I had only realized sooner that it was idiotic to hold my powers back. It was now that I understood why I always feared people would not accept me, shun me... It was because my power, which I had always despised, had feared, had held back... it had gone to my head. But not like one would expect it. It was not the power that had gone to my head... rather the lack thereoff. What had gone to my head was, that I had held it back.

Nanatsu... she didn't hate me. Hadn't rejected me that night... She just needed time for herself... and... and I thought... that she hated me, made me responsible for all that had happened... I... I idiot. So... So Mystia had been right, huh? It had really been me.

Feeling refreshed for some reason, I rose from the ground, my eyes still closed. I rolled my neck, let the tension go... I clenched my fists... and then, opened my eyes. The world before me was not black and white, good and evil. The world before me...

...was colored.

It was time to make things right. Beginning with saving Remi and Flan... and then, going to find Nanatsu. Everything had changed... It was time to find her.

With new confidence, I began to walk towards the bedroom of Remi... and just as I reached the corridor, the door to it flew out of its hinges, and hit the opposite wall of the corridor, several dead bodies following the door. Eventually, Remi left the room, turned to me. "Good to see you are doing well, brother.", she sighed, licking blood off her lips and hands. Her pink nightgown was stained with blood as well, but she didn't seem to care. She often spilled blood onto her dress as she drank it, the reason as for why she was called the Scarlet Devil.

"Where is Flan?", I asked. "Not in her room. She seems to be fighting somewhere as well.", growled Remi. Yes, there was a door connecting Flan's room to Remi's. Remi had Meiling build it when Flan started to have nightmares a few decades ago... that way, Flan could go directly into Remi's room, without going through the "big scawy cowwidor."

"We should head outside.", I suggested, "Meiling, Patchy and Koa are still fighting those guys in the garden." "We should. Also, if we managed to find Flan somewhere...", murmured Remi. I nodded, then we turned back towards the foyer. "Let's go!", I roared, and Remi rushed past me, surprising and killing a single guy who came around the corner that second.

I ran after her, looking left and right into the corridors. They were empty. "Sanders! Sanders, do you copy! We are retreating into the garden!", roared a voice from the man Remi had just killed. I pointed to the radio at the mans chest. "It seems they are retreating to the garden.", growled Remi, to which I nodded. "THEN LET ME BEID THEM FAREWELL!", roared the enraged vampire, before she rushed towards a window, breaking through it.

I was about to follow her, when I heard the squeal behind me. "Onii-sama!", screamed Flan's voice. Twirling around, I found someone I wouldn't have expected at all... Hawkins. He had Flandre in his grip, moving up the staircase leading into the clock tower. As I saw him, it was already too late, he and Flandre up there... but I nontheless managed to see the darkgreen jewel on Sanders hand... and counted one and one together. A power-repelling stone... that was why Flandre didn't attack, didn't blow him into pieces! I have to help her!

I ran, jumped over a large hole in the floor... then landed in front of that staircase and climbed it, ran as fast as I could. I knew he wouldn't move into the clocktower, so he must've gone onto the roof... I knew that, so I rushed instinctively down the corridor leading to the rooflight.

And the moment I threw it open... I found my worst fears become reality.

"That lil' bitch is going to die now... Painfully, Chôzen. PAINFULLY.", he roared, showing me his crippled hand... the hand Meiling stepped on. He then pushed Flan onto her knees, moved his healthy hand... revealing a knife in it. A silver, blessed knife.

I looked around to find Meiling... and looking down from the roof, I found her in the garden, killing a group of those fleeing soldiers. She would never make it in time... So I was on my own.

"IF YOU DARE TO TOU...!" My words vanished as he swung the knife... and cut off the skin of Flan's right wing, leaving only the bone of the wing. The young vampire screamed in agony, tears running down her face. "YOU!" "Aw, look, now she looks really disgusting... to look like a really pretty girl again, she has to...", before I could do anything, he cut the other wing as well, causing Flan to cry out again.

And at that point, something inside me snapped. It was like a twig breaking, a loud noise...

...and the next thing I knew was, that I stood in front of Hawkins... my right arm, having transformed into a demon claw, pierced through his chest, actually leaving a nice hole in it. **"You are never going to hurt anyone AGAIN!"**, Insanity spat into his face.

Hawkins looked shocked at me... my whole body had distorted horribly, I was aware of that...

**...but I didn't care.**

I twirled around, threw Hawkins past the crying Flandre, her own blood all over the ground... It was a horrible sight... it made me feel so helpless... made me hate myself for not being in time...

...I shall avenge her.

I moved, catched Hawkins even before he hit the ground, twirled around, pushed him against the wall of the clocktower with my right demon arm... and actuallly through it. I held him by his throat... and I felt a mad smile on my own lips.

**...no... on Insanity's lips.**

_~Insanity Chôzen's Theme: Blind Guardian - A voice in the dark ~_

**"You just... hurt my... little sister..."**, he growled, clenching his hand around Hawkins neck. **"You come here... to kill... us... 'Monsters'- weren't you? Do you... ah...ahaha...AHAHAHAHAHAHHA THE IRONY! THE IRONY BEHIND THIS! Do you FUCKING KNOW who is the real monster? ...YOU!"**, roared Insanity, moving his arm left, smashing Hawkins against the wall, a mad laughter leaving Insanity's lips.

**"YOU have come HERE, intruded this mansion... And YOU tried to KILL my FAMILY. You SHOT Meiling, wanted to try to TAKE AWAY my younger sisters... and now!"**, Insanity smashed the half-dead colonell against the wall again, broke it, smashed him over and over again into the walls, **"...AND NOW YOU HURT MY SISTER!"** Insanity smashed him into the wall again... but then, just held the sadistic man with utter disgust.

**"...and now... YOU DIE!"**, screamed Insanity, pushed himself off the ground, seven demonic wings spreading from our back, allowing us to fly all the way up inside the clocktower... before Insanity turned around, aimed... and let go of Hawkins. The colonell choked a last time... then Insanity watched with utter pleasure how the colonell hit one horizontal gear, rolled off it, landed on a vertical one, fell onto a horizontal one... and then, as he rolled off it... in between two veritcal ones.

**"Ah...ahahahahahahahahhahahaha!"**, I could hear Insanity's laughter inside our subconciousness... and was laughing along him as I watched through his, or rather my own, eyes, how Hawkins was squished in between the two giant gear, screaming out in agony and pain as his body was part for part squished... as the scream subsided, Hawkins head nothing more than a stain on the gear now... Insanity turned towards the hole leading outside. There were still more of them.

He landed on the wooden walkway inside the clocktower, then moved outside through the hole he had created. Outside, on the roof, we found Flandre gone... where had she vanished too? HAD THEY TAKEN HER! Feeling our anger rise again, Insanity ran towards the railing on the roof, jumped over it, not caring that we were on a four story tall mansion.

We landed next to the fountain, and upon looking up, we saw Meiling fighting a bunch of those guys, Remi fighting another bunch, Patchy and Koa helping them with spells... but there was still a large part of them that tried to escape towards the gate, as the fire was slowly dying down.

I wouldn't let them escape. There should be no escape for them.

I jumped over them, landed right in front of them, my right arm having changed into that scythe... and all it took was one clean slice... and they were all DEAD. "**Take that, you suckers! How does it feel to be killed by Insanity? How does it feel to be KILLED by a BEING that HAS NO PAST, PRESENT, FUTURE AND PURPOSE? How does it feel to be killed by something that is lower than dirt, and more nonexistant that the nothingness itself, HUH?"**, Insanity and I screamed at the headless corpses of about 90 man to our feet. I never knew being insane could be so fulfilling, so... pleasing... so...

_~Music fades out~_

The smile was wipped off my grin. There just wasn't any thrill about this anymore... Flan was hurten. There just was no fun... I had been far to soft on those guys... they should've suffered forever for what they did to Flan...

"C-chôzen? I-is that you?" I looked to my right, where Remi stood, looking confused at me. Feeling Insanity vanish, and letting me take the control again, so did my body return to being normal... and I turned to Remi again. "I am.", I replied under my breath... before I fell onto my knees, weakened. Exhausted. Tired.

"You're alright?", asked another voice, the same moment that a hand was offered to me. Accepting it, I was pulled onto my feet, and came face-to-face with Meiling. I nodded shortly. "That should be all of them... I do not detect any other life inside the mansion... aside Flan.", muttered Patchouli as she and Koakuma reached us.

"FLAN!", I roared, being reminded of the young Scarlet. "Remi! That Hawkins guy, he...!" Before I could finish, the doors to the mansion exploded. Turning into that direction, I felt all hope leave me. In the remains of the door stood Flandre... a mad expression on her face as she stepped towards us, the remains of her wings still dripping blood.

Remi gasped at the sight, and so did Meiling, Patchouli and Koakuma... and I just fell to my knees again, slowly shaking my head in order to deny it. "Look, Remi... my wings are gone... I am all... disgusting now...", whispered Flandre with a wide smile as she stumbled towards us. "...I am disgusting now... Ah... ahahaha... ahahahahaha!", she began to laugh, but tears were running down her face... before she collapsed before me, put her arms around me, laughing and crying at the same time.

No... no, please not Flan... the innocent girl... she...she...

...she had lost her sanity...

* * *

><p>We didn't really recover from that attack... especially Flandre not. She had lost her mind... she really had. She would move around the mansion, being all silent, ocassionally speaking up, but her voice and her eyes were either empty or she was speaking in a mad tone. Also, she tended to destroy things sometimes.<p>

The mansion had suffered quite a lot of damage too, but with Meilings help, we managed to repair at least the most important rooms... to set them up for christmas... it was strange, a vampire celebrating christmas... but maybe it was what we all needed... a small light in our dark world.

It was christmas morning that I awoke... a certain location in mind. After I had collapsed after negating that one guy... I had come to an realization. Now, it was time to take matters in my own hands... to make actions.

I left my room behind, then turned instinctively towards the staircase leading into the ground floor, walked down them... and found Remi at the lower end, walking up the stairs.

"Good morning, big brother..." she yawned. "Remi? You are awake?", I asked her, surprised. "Yes... yes, I went to visit Flan... she... she just fell asleep.", sighed Remi, looking outside a window into the garden. Meiling had done a formidable job at restoring it, and looked pretty again, even though it was buried beneath a pile of snow.

"That poor girl...", I murmured, feeling the rage build up inside me again. "Indeed...", whispered Remilia. "I... I cannot believe that they took my sister from me! That, down there in the basement...", roared Remi, causing me to frown. "Basement?", I asked. "YES! I moved her into the basement, she was destroying everything up here, complaining it was too bright for her...!", growled the vampire, tearsf lowing down her cheeks. "...that down there in the basement, Chôzen... this is not my sister anymore... she is a soulless shell right now...", whispered Remi, all hope lost.

I put my arms around her and pulled into an embrace. "Give her time... the wounds in her soul need to heal... one day... one day, we three might be just like we were once... and play together again...", I whispered into the young vampire's ear... though I felt tears running down my own face. "I want her back, Chôzen... I want my sister back so badly...", she pleaded, and I stroke through her hair. "Shh... you should go to sleep. Come on...", I whispered, putting her onto my right shoulder.

Having put Remi to bed, I went down into the foyer again... as I walked down into the foyer, I noticed Meiling pretty soon. She was standing in the corridor to Voile, or at least that small part of Voile that Patchouli could fit into the room, attaching colorful lights to a wall.

"Hey, Meiling...", I greeted her, to which she turned her head towards me, still attaching the lights as she did. "Good morning, Mister Gekido.", greeted Meiling back, though she sounded exhausted. "How do you feel?", I asked. "Bad... the young mistress is in a real bad shape, and it makes me feel bad too... also, I feel really weak...", whispered Meiling, turning back to the lights.

"Maybe you should ask Patchouli to cast a healing spell onto you... it'll help you, I am sure of that.", I suggested, but the gatekeeper shook her head. "I will be fine in a few days.", she replied. "Aw~ Those lights are so pretty~", whispered a small, insane voice from behind me.

Turning around, I found Flan staring at the light Meiling was attaching to the wall. "Flan? Shouldn't you be asleep?", I asked her, but she ignored me straightaway. "I want those lights, too...", she whispered... before she turned towards Voile, began walking towards it with the usual empty gaze, giving her somehow the appearance of a zombie...

"Meiling... I hope you get better soon.", I smiled towards the dragon, but it was a forced smile, and we both knew that. "Thank you, Mister Gekido. Please recover quick as well.", she replied, bowed to me, then walked away, apparently to attach another christmas light somewhere... and I turned back to Voile.

When I stepped inside the library, I immediately found Flan and Patchouli. "I want them. Make some for me.", spoke Flandre in her insane way, causing Patchouli to lift her hands in defense. "Will be done... please wait a moment, Flan.", sighed Patchouli, before she seemed to notice me."Hm? Oh, Chôzen...", she muttered, stepping towards me.

"What does Flan want?", I asked her. "Lights... she wants colorful lights on her body.", sighed Patchouli. I rose an eyebrow at that... but I knew too well not to question Flandre... especially not now. "What is that you want?", Patchouli asked me, walking over to a small drawer. "I would like to borrow Koakuma for a while.", I replied. At that, Patchouli turned to me.

"So, finally releasing the pent-up desires, huh? Can't blame you for it, I actually thought about asking her too, in order to at least temporarily get that bad feeling away, ya know?", chuckled Patchouli... to which I sweatdropped. "Uhm.. I'm not here to ask Koakuma to... do THAT with me...", I murmured, "...I need to ask her something important." Patchouli suddenly sweatdropped. "You never heard me say that, you heard me?", she growled. I nodded, then watched as she turned around and continued to rummage through the drawer.

"What are you searching for?", I asked. "A while ago, Koakuma and I used magic on a few prism shards... we wanted to see if we can master colour magic. The prisms shards reacted funny to the magic, though, and ended up glowing in different colors from the inside... I think that will be perfect for Flandre... We could attach them to her wing bones... that way, she would have her wings again... in some way.", muttered Patchouli, apparently more to herself than to me, so I left her behind.

As I walked past Flan, I put a hand onto her head and stroke through her hair... but she didn't even take notice, continued to stare at the wall in front of her as if it was the most interesting thing... which made me quite sad.

Walking around the library, I eventually found Koakuma sorting books back into a bookshelf, books that fell out of the bookshelves during the battle a few days ago.

"Chôzen?", she gasped, before she made a jump away from me. "Don't come to close, Lady Patchouli put no barrier onto me!", she exclaimed... to which I stopped. "Actually...", I muttered, sighing, "...I need that barrier to be gone this time."

Koakuma looked questiongly at me, to which I just sighed another time. "I... Do you remember when we first met? When you appeared out of that circle and fed on me?", I asked her, and she nodded slowly. "You had me under your spell back then... and I remembered something...", I continued, causing her to frown heavily.

"What I am saying is... that I request you to repeat that event. Please put me under your spell once more. I need to feel what I felt back then... a certain feeling of familarity returned, which I hadn't felt since about seven centuries...", I explained. Koakuma seemed surprised... relucant... but then, began to walk towards me. "A-as you wish...", she muttered.

* * *

><p>It was exactly like then, Koakuma began to walk towards me. "I'm... doing this for you, Chôzen...", she whispered in an otherworldy voice, a thick, sultry whisper... it was nothing more than that again, a voice so seductive that it just couldn't be from this world.<p>

My desires began to appear within me, my desires took over my senses... a familiar smell filled my nose, the smell of Nanatsu's hair... my body filled with long forgotten warmth, the warmth of Nanatsu's embrace... before my eyes, the scenery changed, turned into that part of my cave with the lonely sakura tree... and Koakuma... became Nanatsu.

"Chôzen...", she whispered, approaching me. "...come and find me, Chôzen. It's about time that we end this game of hide and seek...", whispered Nanatsu to me, approaching me until she was right before me, face-to-face, her hot breath against my lips.

Slowly, I moved forwards, placed my lips on hers, closed my eyes...let the past flow through me. And all doubts vanished with it... Nanatsu was awaiting me... out there...

I slowly opened my eyes as I withdrew from the kiss I shared with Koakuma, a last thread of saliva in between our mouths. "I... I am sorry...", I breathed, but the succubus smiled warmly at me, shaking her head. "Don't be.", she giggled, tilting her head a little to the side."Have you experienced what you searched for?" "Yeah... Yeah I did.", I whispered, turning away from Koakuma. "Thank you.", I smiled over my shoulder, before I began to walk away.

"No problem, Chôzen Gekido... and merry christmas.", whispered Koakuma, watching him leave with a wide, warm smile.

* * *

><p><em>About 300 years ago, Outside World - Japan, Tokio<em>

After all those years, being here sure felt wrong... and yet so right. I had left back the Scarlet Mansion, now officialy Scarlet Devil Mansion, four years ago, right after new years eve. The mansion had to move, they were found out to be murderer (at least not found out to be vampires and Youkai), and as such, they needed to vanish. Patchouli used her magic to move the mansion... but only after I had said that I would leave them at that point.

Remi was sad... and even Flan cried a little. But they accepted it (Flan did at one point, so a postcard from Germany said). I had to end now what had began so long ago... It was time to face Nanatsu. She had moved out of France at the time I lived at the SDM, had been seen in the Philippines, Puerto Rico, then the USA and at one point even in Singapore... and eventually, Sidney, then Japan... Tokio... In our old residence.

It would begin anew where it had stopped... I stood outside the door to our old living room. I could hear her inside, could hear her on the other side of the door... She was humming and singing a soft song, a song about a scent lingering, even though the flower being scattered one day (5)... Hearing her singing, I could only smile at her sweet voice...

...and eventually I dared it. I opened the door and stepped into the living room.

* * *

><p><em>Unknown ammount of years ago, England - London<em>

Remilia Scarlet's PoV:

I was just sitting in my throne, staring into the darkness ahead, reminiscing about old times...

That Chôzen... I hope he found what he searched for, really... I haven't seen him in quite some time now. It is really funny how you remember persons... especially when you miss them, like I do.

Chôzen... Since I don't know anymore where you are... I couldn't send you my final letters. Flan's making progress, you know? She... she has kinda managed to take note of us again, will reply to our questions... start conversations with us... but often went into insanity... destroyed things...

Meiling has been opening up a little, but I think we still need something to break the final part... but it was hard getting through to her, she kept herself at distance... It must have been because of her earliest years, before she became our gatekeeper...

Anyways, I had more important things to do at the moment.. sadly. Thinking back on my time with my 'brother' Chôzen was always a nice time... but right now, as Meiling and Flan have respectively noticed, some things keep on vanishing... namely, food that Meiling bought, as well as a few of Flan's clothes...

...this leaves me to come to only one solution: We have an intruder. And I already suspect where it hides.

I continued to return to a few good memories while I stood up from the throne and walked through the throne room to the door leading into the corridor... and from there, towards the door leading to the stairs up into the attic. This was the only place to hide, the only place no one entered...

'Voile' was impossible, Patchouli knew when someone was inside, and the gardens were impossible as well, Meiling would've noticed. Downstairs in the basement was impossible as well, Flan would've smelled any intruder to it... and since the fairy maids went anywhere but the attic...

The stairs squealed under my fairly light weight, being unsound and old. And though I knew the steps would announce my arrival on the attic... this was exactly what I wanted. To scare the intruder... I can smell fear, after all.

And indeed, the moment I reached the upper end of the stairs, I already smelled the sweat... both old, as well as new, fresh sweat. Whoever hid here didn't wash often... or rather poorly. "Come out. I know that you are here.", I exclaimed, but nothing happened.

"So? Wanna play hide and seek, huh? You know that you'll lose? I am good at that game.", I chuckled, watching my surroundings closely... and saw a black shadow rushing past a crate. I grinned. So there it was, the intruder...

"Come on out, I won't harm you if you don't harm me!~", I sung, glancing around... there it was again, the shadow, this time, behind an old cupboard. I smiled. Now I had that intruder.

I moved quickly, rushed towards the cupboard, the shadow always in my vision... before it suddenly vanished. But a loud noise and a small "ouch" behind me told me that someone just fell over something... my chance!

I moved towards the source of that noise, jumped over another cupboard, landed in behind it... and stared down at the intruder. A small girl. A young girl, not older than ten, wearing a pair of Flan's old clothes. She had dirty, silver hair, grey eyes and very pale skin. She seemed fragile and was pretty thin... So this explains a lot.

"So you are the little intruder, huh?", I smiled, tilting my head a little. However, that seemed to scare her, as she pulled a knife from seemingly nowhere and pointed it at me... and then, I felt something around me change, the world around me became black, grey and white... only for a second, though, before the knife, which I had blocked with my hand, fell down to the ground, and the young girl was held by my left hand.

She struggled against it, kicked and punched around her, but to no avail. I was a vampire. I was several times her strength. She was just some human girl...

"Ah, quite the spirit you have there. Sadly, I am a vampire, and your little ability is a little too weak to affect me.", I smiled, turning the girl around so she faced me. "Now then...", I began, grinning at her, "...what has caused you little girl to infiltrate, of all houses, the Scarlet Devil Mansion?", I asked, making sure that my wings were visible to her... I was going to intimidate her, but she seemed to to be impressed by me being a vampire.

"T-that nice woman... at the gate...she...uhm... gives me food sometimes and...", the girl before me went silent again, turned her gaze away. "Please punish me, but not that woman at the gate! She did no wrong!" I was surprised at those words, really. I would've expected that girl to make some weird excuse, like most humans do, but for her to say the truth, and even wanting to take Meiling's punishment... How foolish... and yet... how interesting...

"Are you aware of what yo are saying?", I asked her, to which she nodded furiously, still not looking at me, her eyes closed, apparently waiting for her punishment. "What was that with the knife?", I asked, nodding towards the knife on the ground.

"I... I can manipulate the flow of time...", murmured the girl. "Time manipulation?", I muttered surprised. "Y-yes! I'm bad and still trying, but I do as good as I can!", she replied, nodding furiously. "Well then, kiddo...", I muttered, letting go of her, which apparently surprised her. "Do you know who and what I am?", I asked her.

"T-the lady of this mansion... and you are a vampire.", she replied, though not as scared as before... if I heard right... there was even admiration in the word 'vampire'... something you don't see all days, especially in today's word, where nobody believes in us Youkai and demons, as well as magic, anymore...

"What is your name?", I asked her, pointing at her with my inxdex finger. "I... I... S-Sakuya. Sakuya Brando...", she whispered. "Brando?", I murmured, being reminded of a powerful, time-manipulating vampire I heard once about...a vampire of unrivaled strength... I bet he's still weaker than me, but still... I had respect for him, at least.

"Well then... Sakuya Brando... You are an orphan, aren't you?", I asked her. She nodded again, looking cautiously at me. "Dad died... and about mother, I know nothing.", she answered me. I nodded."Very well then.. Sakuya Brando... What would you say... if I offer you to work inside this mansion? You would live a better life... I could change your fate...", I whispered.

Sakuya let out a loud gasp, seemed uncertain about my offer... confused, to be honest. But there was also that sparkle in her eyes... "Yes... I... I accept. Please change my fate!", she pleaded, bowing down before me rather graciously.

I must say, I like her.

"Very well, Sakuya... From today on, you shall serve me as a maid... Your fate will be changed to a better one... Sakuya... Izayoi...", I whispered. "I want that fate... Ojou-sama...", she whispered back, bowing before me...

...a wide grin found it's way onto my face.

Oh Chôzen, if you could only see this...

* * *

><p><em>Present, Gensokyo - Hakurei Shrine<em>

Remilia Scarlet's PoV:

"Oi, Reimu!", exclaimed that pesky witch as she spotted us, me and Sakuya. Marisa Kirisame sat on the porch of the shrine, just as if it was her own shrine... that nerve of that witch!

Anyways, I couldn't resist a wide grin though, as a cup of tea flew out of the shrine and hit the witch on the forehead, sending her falling to the ground. "Aw...!", cried Marisa out, holding her forehead. "I AM TRYING TO SPEND SOME TIME WITH YUKARI HERE!", roared Reimu's voice, immediately wipping that smirk off my face again. That sukima... I don't like her at all.

As we stepped up to the shrine, I walked past Marisa, Sakuya holding my parasol still above me. "Freeloading again, Marisa Kirisame? You must be really poor to actually go freeloading all the time AND stealing from the mansion... and since you hang out all day here, your house must be some shithole as well...", I chuckled, not caring about the vulgar word I used... it was the only way Marisa seemed to get anything into that head of hers.

She hissed at me, but I ignored her straight away. I was above such a thing as Marisa Kirisame... I was Remilia Scarlet, descendant of Dracula himself.

I stepped into the shrine, Sakuya right behind me. "Hello Reimu.", I spoke, to which the miko, which was currently being pushed against a wall by that sukima, send me a glare. "I'm trying to spend some time with Yukari. Go away.", growled Reimu.

"Ara ara. But you are the only nice company a noble like I can enjoy inside this land.", I replied casually, a smirk on my face. "Tch. You remind me of that other noble...", growled Yukari, rolling her eyes... catching my interest.

"Other nobles?", I asked her. She send me a glance. "Yeah. In the underground lives another pair of noble sisters, much like yourself and your sister. They own a palace, though, rather than a mansion.", replied Yakumo... and I turned away. This was going to be interesting!

"Sakuya!", I exclaimed, and the maid appeared at my side. "We are returning home. Once we are, I want you to inform everyone that we will go on a trip... and please prepare anything for it... we will go into the underground..."

* * *

><p>(1) Bioshock... That "Would you kindly?" thing is from Bioshock...<p>

(2) ...and "An arrow to the knee" is of course from Skyrim. Yeah, I know, overused, but I use it for the first and possibly last time.

(3) Based on a Doujin I once read on danbooru (NSFW!), in which Yuuka one day found another Yuuka, a small version of herself. The smaller girl was another incarnation of from what Yuuka was born , however, far too weak to stay forever...

The doujin was called "Touhou - The Flower that Revolves with the Sun" by yokochou

It's one of the greatest Doujin I have ever read.

(4) Parody of Akuma's (Street Fighter) "Shun Goku Satsu". A certain MUGEN (A street-fighter-like fighting game for computer, where you can implement stages and characters you've downloaded, made by different people, also contains one hell of a touhou arsenal of chars, like Mima, Yuuka, usw.) version of Meiling can use the "Chuugoku Satsu" if she does the right combo.

The words muttered by Meiling before she used the Chuugoku Satsu are taken from a picture on Danbooru, done by "niwatazumi", which showed Meiling preparing a Chuugoku Satsu.

(5) The song I mean is "Senya - Though the scent lingers, the flower scattered", or maybe rather known as "Iro wa nioedo chirinuru", the opening to "The Memories of Phantasm", a Touhou Anime.

* * *

><p><em>Maaaan, quite a long chapter, ain't it? For me, at least.<em>

_So this is the past with the Scarlet Devil Mansion... if I may say so, the possibly darkest part of Chôzen's past, the only one stained with masses of blood._

_And poor little Flan... I feel like torturing that Hawkins forever... Grrrrr, I should go and find him in hell, just to give him even more of a torture! Argh, I felt like I should hurt myself badly for that scene..._

_Anyways, that should be it. Reviews are pretty much appreciated~._

_Until the next, and one of the last, chapters of Touhou: 0-Negative Mind!_

_So long!_


	18. 14,5 Nocturne of green sorrow

_**SorrowfulReincarnation: **I do not own Touhou, Team Shanghai Alice / ZUN does. However, I do own Chôzen Gekido, the flame-soul and Nanatsu no Taizai, as for I created them...! _

* * *

><p>"This way.", murmured Parsee, walking past me into the darkness of the underground. "You heard the lady. Ancient city is this way.", I snickered towards Rumia and Nanatsu, to which the two huffed, but then nodded and walked past me.<p>

Turning around as well, I began to walk deeper into the underground as well. _**"Next stop: Ancient City!"**_, roared my flame-soul, apparently having fun at the situation, just as usual. He sure was some cheery being, huh? Anyways, knowing that we finally near our location... I kinda feel nostalgic. I don't know as for exactly why... but going into the underground sounded just like something I would be used to.

I'd been to hell and back, after all, so why not down into the hell of blazing fires? Heard it is a nice, cozy and warm place... especially around this season.

But leaving the jokes aside... I really felt familiarity at the situation as I walked deeper into the cave, following Parsee and the two women I love. Ah, those two... they make my heart beat faster and cause my blood to boil... and my brain to explode if I find a solution to that problem of ours soon.

Our love triangle... it really was like a time bomb. A ticking time bomb. With every second we continue to be like this... the situation draws closer to explode. There had been the point where it almost did already...

As I continued to walk, I ignored the short flash around me, the walls and the ground becoming black,grey and white, Nanatsu and Rumia vanishing before my eyes, leaving only Parsee, who was walking, leading me deeper into the underground...

Another flash returned the surroundings to normal, ending the short flashback.

All those people I met.. met in before my amnesia... they understood me. Treated me like a person. Liked me for who I was, not for the mask I had been wearing. Not because I was a mask... they liked the person behind the mask. And I had something in common with each one of them.

Fujiwara no Mokou and I... we both were born as lonewolfs, enjoyed the beauty of nature, lived most of our lives solitary, only for us... until something changed us at a certain point.

Yukari Yakumo and I... we were night and day, she created, I destroyed. We had in common that we both were differences... like night and day were one of the same, so were Yukari and I.

Yuyuko Saigyouji and I... we both represented the end. While she represented the end of life, the death, I represented the end of existence, the armageddon... the apocalypse.

Youmu Konpaku and I... weren't we both guards? Tried to guard that which was precious to us? Youmu had devoted her life to serve Yuyuko... and I had devoted my life to uphold the cycle of existence... and to keep Nanatsu safe... and both Youmu and I... we both had failed at one point.

Takato Matsuki and I... we both had complicated paths to walk. I represented the indifference, he the hatred. As embodiments of emotions, or rather the lack thereof, we both had to finish our paths to uphold the balance.

Ulquiorra Cifer and I... we both were nihilists, craved for the nihilism, the void of emotions... we both had hard lives, both wanted to leave behind...

Mima Hakurei and I... we both were born from hatred of humanity. We both wanted to change, wanted to end...

Kanako Yasaka and I... we both had craved for power... or rather, the control of such... and at one point, we both had gotten insane over it.

Suwako Moriya and I... We had shared similiar views on life for a good while, both had trust in faith and humanity... but in the end, we both didn't care, as long as it was there.

Byakuren Hijiri and I... hadn't we both lusted for a better world? For a world that was different from the way the already existing one was? Not filthy, not betraying, backstabbing? A world where everyone could just be himself? In such a world, I wouldn't have chosen to go the path of nihilism, as I wouldn't be too weak... I would've been accepted by everyone for who I was...

Mystia Lorelei... she was young, I was exalted. But nontheless, we had the same disgust towards taking lives... towards killing... and yet, we both had to commit murder at at least one point...

Remilia Scarlet... we both had too much pride, were too proud for our own wellbeing... but yet, we continued to be proud. We loved the thrill of being higher than others.

Flandre Scarlet... gone crazy over our own powers and histories, we unleashed our insanity and let it kill, crouched in the darkness of our own minds to avoid the harsh reality...

Patchouli Knowledge... She was physically weak, I had been. We both had spent much of our lifetime chasing something... she chased magic and knowledge, I chased the path of nihilism... we both wanted to leave behind our clear disadvantage in the world...

Hong Meiling... beings of wrath... that was who we both were. She was a dragon, loyal, merciless to those who intrude... I was a madman, merciless to those I see as enemy...

Koakuma... we both kinda feared our natural abilities. She desperately tried to avoid charming someone, I desperated tried to avoid negating or killing someone...

Rumia Shisô... Insane at heart, killer in mind. Bloodlust was what kept us alive, the thrill of killing, the scent of blood and death... leaving behind a trail of death, we both walked our paths until they crossed.

And finally... Nanatsu no Taizai. We both had hard trials behind us... we both were shunned by humanity for who and what we were, despised, disgusted, pushed away... we both lost our mind while trying to find a place where we could be accepted.s Lonewolf. Madman. Lovers. That was who we were.

Another flash, color becoming grey, Nanatsu and Rumia vanishing as I continued to look at Parsee's back, following her into the depths of the underground. It had been like this before. I had been here before. This wasn't my first visit to the famous underground. My tormentor lived here.

Color returned, and so did Nanatsu and Rumia. The closer we got to the ancient city, the more the flashbacks became. They invaded my mind, fooled my perception... my senses... turned back the pendulum before my eyes... and then stopped. Let time return to the present... before they pulled again... tried to pull me back into my past with their lustful voices and shallow touches... but I was going to allow them, though.

Another flash happened, this time, however, it caused me to stop. Instead of a black, grey and white version of the underground, I found myself in a black and green version of it... "I am... close to my memories...", I whispered, realizing the cause of those flashes... of the flashbacks...

...the culprit, the one responsible for all of this... she was close.

"I... I believe I understand now... who I was... and... who I am...", I whispered to nobody in particular, standing there, just staring after Nanatsu, Rumia and Parsee as they continued to walk... faded away... "I realize it now... Everything... makes sense now..."

Placing my right hand on my face, I closed my tired eyes. "My... decision... it is made. I have decided as for who I am. I am...", I stopped in midsentence, pulled my hand away from my face, clenching it to a fist. "H-hey... guys... there... there is something you should know...", I whispered, looking at my clenched fist.

_**"What's it?"**_, asked my Flame-soul, hovering around me, it's light becoming one with the black and green world around me. **"I'm listening, king."** "G-good...", I chuckled. "Listen... I... I..." I clenched my fist even harder, my nails digging into my own skin, drawing fresh blood.

"I knew all along who took my memories. I knew all along who it was!", I growled, speaking out what I had feared to say... It remained silent. _**"You... knew?" **_"Yeah... You... you could say that.", I chuckled, opening my fist, letting the blood flow down my hand, dripping from my fingers onto the ground.

"...or at least... I could've known all along. There... there is this memory that has been... reappearing over and over... at it's beginning... I walk down a large tunnel... following a blonde girl with emerald eyes...", I whispered, my right hand sliding through my hair.

"...whenever that memory appeared... I knew that the face of the one responsible for all this... I knew that the face of the one would appear inside. And recently, this memory has returned more and more often... I... I merely pushed it back in hope for it to be gone for a while longer, but...", I clenched my teeth, bared them, snarled.

"...I think it is time I look at it. Until now, I pushed it back, fearing I might discover something in it that I didn't want to know... something I didn't want to remember... I feared what would become of me after seeing it... But i see now how important this memory is...", I whispered.

"I do no longer fear it... I am ready... ready to face it. Ready to look back at that final, fatal day... and the one who caused my memory loss. I know she is inside it... I just have to find her.", I growled. **"...I... I see..."**, muttered Insanity.

"...it is time for the walking enigma to face it, his terrible past...", I murmured, just as the black and green around me turned back to it's original color, revealing Nanatsu, Rumia and Parsee only in a short distance before me. I looked at their backs, felt the sadness well up in me...

...but then, as I resumed walking, I closed my eyes... let the memory flow into me... I closed my eyes... and remembered the days in the underground, the days that contained the event that would eventually lead to my amnesia...

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><p><em>This is quite a short chapter, but, as you should've guessed from the .5 in the title, it is merely an intermission.<em>

_Why "Nocturne of green sorrow"? Weeeell, the title popped into my head as I started to write this, and I kinda like the title... It has a certain ring to it, ya know? _

_How would the nocturne of green sorrow sound, you wonder? Well, I guess kinda like the nocturne of shadows, however, sadder and rather much piano... Well, just another stupid thing of mine, nothing to see here anymore._

_Also, GreenSorrow is another nickname I go by._

_I see you next update, guys and gals!_

_So long!_


	19. 15 An eye for an eye  truth is torture

_**SorrowfulReincarnation: **__And, so here is the next chapter!_

_I'm sorry this took so long... I was gone for a few days, came back home just a few days ago... and got sick. Yeah. My throat feels like it's gonna lit up on fire any second right now, my voice is as soft as rubbing chalks against a blackboard... that means, at the time my voice actually works... Yeah. I'm sick. Damn sick, feel like crap. Can't go to school... Yeah, so, here I am, having written the next chapters._

_Anyways... I don't feel like making this so top secret anymore. So, if you actually do read this chapter (I don't think all of those who read I-NB do read 0-NM), you will know this exclusive information: The next 0-NM Chapter, the one following this one... is the last. Yep, so this is actually the second-to-last chapter of 0-NM... the second-to-last memory._

_Now, back to this A/N... In this chapter, the one that caused the events of I-NB, the culprit behind the amnesia, appears... in this memory, which Chôzen pushed back ever so often, in fear of the one that caused his amnesia..._

_...however, something is wrong with this memory of Chôzen's, and you will soon see what..._

_...can this memory be trusted?_

_**Flame-Soul: **__Speak of making it dramatically...! Anyways, __SorrowfulReincarnation does not own Touhou, Team Shanghai Alice / ZUN does. However, SorrowfulReincarnation does own Chôzen Gekido, me and Nanatsu no Taizai, as for he created us...!_

_**Chôzen: **__Now that that's done... What exactly is wrong with my memory? _

_**SorrowfulReincarnation: **__You should concentrate on remembering instead of asking me stuff you should know..._

_Let's start the party! _

_...and the chapter._

_**This chapter was uploaded along chapter 63 of I-Negative Bullet, so make sure you read up to there (including it), before you read this. Could be a spoiler otherwise, as this chapter will also include parts of Chapter 63 of I-NB.**_

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><p><em><strong>Chapter 15: An eye for an eye ~ Truth is torture<strong>_

_Present - Chôzen's Mind / Thoughts_

Where I was in that memory? I didn't care back then… Of course, now… now that I am here again, I can clearly say that it was the underground of Gensokyo. It all began after Byakuren sealed herself… I tried to make a dramatic decision much like hers… whether I tried to comfort myself or just tried to escape my weakness yet another time, I don't know.

The nihilism had failed upon me ever since the battle with Rumia Shisô… I know it was foolish, but back then, I thought, maybe if I try to 'pretend' to still walk the path, to do things like the path was still upon me, it would return to work… which meant, that I tried to walk around without knowing where I am…

…it wasn't that hard, to be honest, I always kinda had a bad sense of directions…

Anyways, I continued to walk the path… I tried to. Pretended to… maybe I really tried to comfort myself. I walked around without caring… and eventually, ended up in the underground… the place I would meet her.. my tormentor… the culprit behind my amnesia... the one who stole my memories, made me lose them…

…how foolish I have been to surpress this memory so long… It could've saved me all this mess!

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><p><em>About 500 years ago, Gensokyo – Entrance to the underground, The bridge people no longer cross<em>

"Halt! Who goes there?" That voice made me stop in my tracks. I rose my gaze from the moist ground beneath, the stone I had kicked lying before me now. The voice belonged to a girl standing on a bridge. The girl had short, blonde hair, wore a brown jacket over a black shirt.

However, as I did not care about her, or so I told myself, I just kept on walking, walking past her as if she wasn't even there. Which she didn't like at all. "Who do you think you are?", she roared, twirling around, putting a hand onto my shoulder to stop me. "Who I am?", I murmured over my shoulder, "...I don't care."

To this, she rose an eyebrow, her hand slipping off my shoulder. Being released from her grip, I turned back into the direction of the bridge and crossed it, leaving her back at the entrance... She was too stunned, too shocked by my answer... by such a simple thing... as words…

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><p>A while later, how much time had passed I couldn't really tell as there was no real source of light other than a few glowing minerals in the walls, the small and narrow tunnel around me became a wider, more illuminated area... before me lay a city, made of grey stone cubes and several japanese buildings. Not exactly a sight to behold, even though the shopping district, which was easily recognizable by the several, colorful chinese lanterns, as well as the loud laughter, seemed to be quite amazing… for other beings.<p>

The only sight that really stood out of other buildings was a big, palace-like building in the middle of the city. Towering over the already giant city, which was filled with Oni of all kinds, as well as several humanic youkai with black wings, and several humanic youkai with two tails, as well as several spirits, the palace seemed to be anything but crowded. In fact, the palace seemed to be empty… not a ruin, as it was quite well kept, but it looked abandoned nontheless.

I don't know if it will happen… but somehow, I got the feeling that I will enter the palace quite soon and see more of it, even though I don't exactly care if I do or not… I guess. I pretend.

Anyways, putting my hands into my pockets, beginning to pace again with slumped shoulders and an empty gaze, I let my steps carry me towards the city. Walking down a slope towards the ancient-appearing ciy, I soon found myself in the middle of the quite colorful crowd of Oni.

Oni had quite a lot appearances… some looked humanic, had normal, humanic skin and were nontheless quite the powerhouses with defense of a mountain, while others had red, green or blue skin, looked anything but human… and yet, were the same Onis as the humanic appearing onces, no differences in strength or defense.

Then, there were those other kinds of youkai of the underground… youkai, shunned on the surface. If I have to be honest, I kinda broke a rule as I came here, the rule that the surface youkai were not allowed to enter the underground, while the underground youkai were not allowed on the surface… Though I heard there is an exception, an Oni that didn't retreat into the underground, an Oni living somewhere on the surface in Gensokyo…

I believe those other youkai inside the city… they could be hell raven… and well, those others could be kasha, I guess. However, the last kind was quite easy to determine, a kind of yurei… evil spirits. Well, there were some earth spiders around as well… Tsuchigumo.

Deep in my thoughts of nothing and yet everything, I didn't look or care where I was going… until I accidentaly bumped into something bulky and tall, something that send me two steps backwards. "HM?", hollered a husky voice as the red Oni I had bumped into, almost 3 meter in height, turned around to me, snarling.

I looked up at the monstrosity in front of me, a bulky red Oni with huge, dirty tusks. His bad breath hit me now, but I tried my best at not distorting my face… it would've meant that I care about the smell of air, made differences in it.

"YOU DARE BUMP INTO ME, LIL' WEAKLING?", he roared at me, bowing down to look me into the eye. I had a hard time keeping a straight face… that evil smell… well, it wasn't as much the smell as it was the burning feeling in the eyes that the smell caused…

"I bumped not into you cause I wanted it.", I replied. "YOU WANT A FIGHT, HUH? PICKING FIGHTS WITH ME ISN'T WISE, LIL' WEAKLING!" Not showing my disgust became harder with every second... but I managed, "I'm not going to pick fights with anyone. Would make you special if I do.", I replied with a straight face. "ARE YOU MOCKIG ME, LIL' WEAKLING? I SHOW YOU NOT TO MOCK ME!", he roared, moving his fist back... and then, she moved it forwards, aimed to hit my face. A fist, as large as my whole arm.

But it stopped. Stopped in front of me. Stopped by my right palm. "UGH!", he growled, looking down in shock at his fist, stopped by my smaller hand. "That doesn't get you anywhere, Oni.", I spoke, then pushed his fist away, causing him to fall sidewards onto his face.

Of course, that wasn't the smartest idea. Immediately, all the other Oni turned around, and smelling a fight, they all glared at me. "SO PUNY HUMAN WANTS FIGHT?", roared another, green Oni, which could've been the red one's twin brother. "Ah heck yeah, a fight!", cheered a tall, humanic, female Oni with darkbrown hair.

Almost letting out a silent hiss, I quickly kept myself from doing so... the nihilism needed to continue. And back then, I used to, once attacked, to fight back while keeping a straight face, not a twitch of an eyebrow as my enemy was annihilated by merely my strength... I never had used my ability to negate... not truly.

The first Oni rushed at me, a blue giant, but I avoided and pulled his leg away, causing him to fall flat on his face. That green Oni came at me, but I blocked his fist and pushed him back, to which he fell onto his rear. When that humanic, female Oni rushed at me, I ducked underneath her first punch, then sidestepped her second one. She wasn't as huge as those two male Oni, and thus, a lot faster. Her final roundhouse kick was for nothing when I rose my left arm and blocked it.

A sick noise reached my ears... and then, I looked down to my left arm. It looked horrible, without a doubt broken... it just hung there, all wobbly and jelly-like, no feeling other than pain in it... but I had reached my goal. The female Oni, taken aback by the recoil from her kick hitting my arm (which she surely had thought of as less resistant), caused her to land on the ground after that kick... and when her right foot didn't make contact with the ground, I saw her eyes getting wide... right before she slipped and landed on her back on the ground. Yep , she had landed on that green Oni's arm.

But of course, the noise of fighting had attracted new combatants. With my left arm still broken and unable to do anything before it had regenerated, which was pretty fast due to the nihilism's power (even though the nihilism itself wasn't my personality anymore), I knew I would have disadvantages... but that doesn't mean that I can't win. I don't care if I win or lose.

I danced underneath another female oni's punch... and suddenly, something hit me over the head, forced me onto my knees. "Got you!", roared a familiar voice. "Okay, that's enough! No more fights here, I take care of him now!" Around me the Oni began to groan in displeasure and disappointment.

"Alright..." "Sorry Miss Parsee..." "Wasn't that interesting anyways..." "Miss Parsee is a killjoy.."

"Okay, which one of you called me a killjoy?", roared that female from the bridge, which stood now behind me... I believe her name would be Parsee Mizuhashi. None of the Oni answered, they scattered rather quickly after Parsee's outburst of fury. And with them gone, Parsee turned to me.

"You thought you get past me like that, huh?", she growled, narrowed her emerald-green eyes at me. "You are aware that you break the rule that surface Youkai are not allowed to the underground with your mere presence, right? I could kill you for this.", she hissed, pacing around me... It was then that I became aware of the fact, that I still sat on my knees on the ground.

The moment I tried to get up, though, she hit me over the head again. "STAY WHERE YOU ARE!", she roared. "Oh.. Miss Parsee sure is hard to him...", murmured a Oni near us... his roaring voice carried over to us, causing Parsee to flinch for a second. She ignored it, though, and returned straight to me. "I could and should kill you for your ignorance of the rules...", she growled, causing me to glance up at her. "Ignorance is bliss, they say.", I murmured, which caused Parsee to rise an eyebrow, "...and furthermore, I do not care for anything, which includes rules."

"That stupid sentence again.", huffed Parsee, before she hit me over the head again... which hurt like hell. "However, I cannot just kill someone from the surface... could lead to a war, which no one of us wants.", she murmured, one eye twitching. "ME WANTS!", roared an Oni in some distance from us... however, when Parsee threw a green orb of energy right in between his eyes, he fell over and landed on his butt, rubbing the sore spot in between his eyes.

"AS I WAS GOING TO SAY...", Parsee growled, loud enough for that Oni to hear, "...since I can't kill any surface Youkai like that, I will take you to Komeiji-sama. She will judge on your further fate." A sudden movement from her caused me to gasp, and though I tried to avoid, I did not manage to get out of the way of her kick. It hit me straight into the head, send me sliding backwards on the ground for a good few yards, before I hit a wall and left a pretty huge imprint on it.

Everything hurt like hell as I looked up, finding that bridge woman named Parsee standing above me. "How did you even manage to defeat an Oni? You seem pretty resistant, but then again, your left arm seems pretty broken to me...", she murmured towards me. I hissed as I looked up to her, growled as I struggled to stand up... this time, as she kicked me into the side, I did not fall back onto the ground again. She rose an eyebrow at that, but said nothing. Instead, she prepared for another kick... and this time, I caught it, causing her eyes to widen.

"Do not... put me as low as them... I am... not weak. Not some weak... surface Youkai...", I growled, baring my teeth. "Hm? What was that about ignorance? About not caring?", growled the bridge woman... which did more damage to me than anything else could ever have. Realization hit me pretty hard... I had lost my calmness. Had accidentally forgotten to pretend... had let the anger got the better of me...

Suddenly, everything around me flashed, shifted for a moment... then, a purplehaired girl stood above me, extending a hand towards my face, a knife held in it... she had short, purple hair and a black hairband. In front of her chest, which she had dressed in a blue shirt with yellow heart buttons, she had a red orb, which was attached to her body with several cords. "I'm going to cut your head open and take those memories of yours...", she whispered... though she had no face.

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><p><em>Present, Chôzen's Mind  Thoughts_

Wait! No! This was not how it happened! Parsee took me to the palace of earth spirits! There wasn't that girl... she hadn't been there! Parsee helped me up, commanded me to go to the palace of earth spirits... Why is this memory obscured?

**...it's your subconciousness...**

INSANITY?

**Yeah... Sorry if I scared ya... **

What do you mean with "subconciousness"?

**It... it is trying to defend you... in your subconciousness, you fear to learn of that persons face, you fear that the person that caused your amnesia... and thus, your subconciousness acts as a self-defense-system and tries to obscure the memory by switching out several scenes against something different...**

Oh great. Just great...

**Just try to break through this obscure scene... fight against the distortion... that will be the only way to find the face of the one who caused this all...**

...fine... Let's start this again from where I had lost my calm...

* * *

><p><em>About 500 years ago, Gensokyo - Underground, Ancient City<em>

"Do not... put me as low as them... I am... not weak. Not some weak... surface Youkai...", I growled, baring my teeth. "Hm? What was that about ignorance? About not caring?", growled the bridge woman... which did more damage to me than anything else could ever have. Realization hit me pretty hard... I had lost my calmness. Had accidentally forgotten to pretend... had let the anger got the better of me...

"Come on! Komeiji-sama will know what to do with you.", sighed Parsee, putting a hand onto my shoulder. She pulled me past her, then pushed me to symbolize that I should move in front of her... our goal seemed to be that large palace I had seen before... The palace of the earth spirits, as Parsee had called it. But instead of moving towards the large entrance, we moved towards the right of it...?

"We're going to use the backentrance. I don't want to cause any more chaos than you already started.", growled the bridge princess as if she had read my thoughts, pushing me towards a narrow tunnel. "This will get us there. Stay behind me... and don't even think of fleeing."

And so I followed Parsee through a narrow tunnel. Usually, the memory would begin here... this time, it did not. Instead... instead, it ended here. Became black.

* * *

><p><em>Present, Chôzen's Mind  Thoughts_

Huh?

**Defense-system. In that memory, you were about to meet someone... I'm guessing, as soon as you meet that person in the present, the memory will continue... **

* * *

><p><em>Present, Gensokyo - Underground, Palace of Earth SpiritsChireiden, Satori Komeiji's study (1)_

Parsee pushed the doors open, then gestured us to enter. "_It doesn´t even surprise me that she knew it was Parsee.. after all, Satori Komeiji can..."_ "Yes, I can read the heart and the mind of a person, Chôzen Gekido.", spoke the voice again, and upon looking through the room, I found a single person standing in front of a large window with her back towards us.

"And do you know what doesn´t even surprise me, Chôzen?", asked the person, then turned around, all three of her eyes staring directly at me, "...that you eventually lost your memories. I think we all saw it coming that you, with your sheer ammount of misfortune, would sooner or later have something really worse happening to you... and I am not surprised that you are just having a flashback of me.", chuckled Satori, though I just barely heard her, the grey images flashing in front of my inner eyes taking most of my concentration.

* * *

><p><em>About 500 years ago, Gensokyo - Underground, Palace of the earth spirits<em>

"In here.", snarled Parsee, pushing open a door. What lay behind that door seemed to be in complete contrast to what lay before it... In front of the door lay a dark, moist cave, narrow and dark... in behind the door was a huge, palatial corridor, the shiny floor reflecting the small ammount of busy animal youkai.

"I said in there!", growled the bridge princess and pushed me. "No need to treat me like a prisoner...", I murmured... now that I had been revealed, there was no need to try to pretend the nihilism is still working on my personality... for now.

Anyways, as I didn't move the moment Parsee wanted me to, she pushed me again... geez, she sure is bold, and pretty rude, is she? Well, since I don't had any choice, I walked down the corridor Parsee gestured me to. Not like I had to do something better, ya know? That's what being a nihilist brings in its wake... you never had something to do. You were doing things just because you did them, not for any reason... you didn't try to fill the inner void that you have as a nihilist... you accept it.

"Left.", grumbled Parsee from behind me, so I turned into the next corridor to my left. Ah well. My try to return the nihilism by living it was a pathetic one, failed pretty soon. But it would be my first try, not my last... of that, I was sure.

"Stop." Parsee's command made me freeze on the spot... mostly out of surprise rather than listening to her. "Komeiji-sama is behind this door.", growled Parsee, nodding towards a wooden double door beside me. "So behave. And don't try anything funny or I make you jealous towards a broomstick for the rest of your pitiful life...", the bridge princess snarled, cracking her knuckles.

I rose an eyebrow at her action and at what she said, however, as she knocked on the door, I remained silent. For a moment, it was perfectly silent... then, however, a childish voice broke through it. "Come on in, Parshee." I rose an eyebrow at the voice... had it just lisped?

Parsee opened the door and stepped in, gesturing me to follow her inside. I did as told, entered the study before me. The first thing that I noticed was an old, darkbrown desk, a huge window in behind it... rather interesting, I've got to say. The person who set this up sure had taste.

"Komeiji-sama, I've found...", began Parsee, but was interupted when that voice spoke up again. "How often do I have to tell you, Parshee, to call me Shatori instead of Komeiji-shama...", sighed the voice. I turned into the direction of that voice... and immediately rose an eyebrow while I began to blush a little.

The voice belonged to a young girl, barely half my height. She had short, purple hair and a black hairband. The girl also wore a blue shirt with yellow heart buttons and pink collar, as well as a pink skirt with faint flowery pattern and pink slippers. In front of her chest, in front of her heart, was a red orb, three cords attaching the orb to her wrists and her head. She seemed to be pretty young, though... the reason she was mispronouncing some things...

"S-sorry Satori.", murmured Parsee, blushing. "...so jealous... she's... so cute.." I sweatdropped as I heard Parsee's mumbling, but I was blushing as well. That girl was so cuuute, dammit! If my anger hadn't revealed before that the nihilism had failed upon me, the major blush I had right now would've blown my cover...

"A-a satori youkai...", I murmured upon identifying the red orb in front of her heart as her third eye. "That's right, I'm a shatori." I flinched. _**"Oh come on, such cuteness has to be forbidden!"**_ "Sho, Parshee... What did you bring this man here for? And who is he?", asked the young Satori. It seems that her mind reading abilities have not developed enough yet for her to read my mind...

...well, the fact that the nihilism acted much like a lock didn't help either. It sealed off my thoughts inside my head, practically created a world where my mind acted... Sometimes... before Nanatsu and I seperated... back then, I would sometimes, to get rid of the nihilistic thoughts, think of myself as a seperate universe... a universe inside a universe... calm flowing through me... I would think of myself not as a nihilist, but a being with a lonely mind... and then, I would think of Nanatsu as part of this universe... and would forget all the nihilistic thoughts.

...how ...how very ironic that I was now seeking to become part of this universe again as a nihilist.

"This is a surface youkai that tried to get past me into the ancient city. He tried to pick a fight th..." "Aw, Parshee, you're not fun.", huffed the satori youkai, much to the bridge princess surprise and confusion, as she let out a yelp of surprise, while the satori youkai turned to me. "I am Shatori Komeiji. Who are you, mister surface Youkai?" "C-chôzen Gekido." Satori grinned widely at me. "You wanna play with me and Koishi? It's boring here...", offered Satori, causing Parsee to yelp yet again.

"B-but Komeiji-sa...! ...I mean Satori! You can't be honest! For all we know, he could be dangerous!", objected Parsee. "Aw, Parsheeeeeee... you are really no fun. It's been shooooooo long since I last played with a shurface dweller...", huffed Satori, causing the blush to return to Parsee's and my face... especially as Satori's eyes (all three of them), suddenly became huge and sparkling. "Can I play with him? Pwetty pwease?"

The sudden burst of blood that escaped our noses caused both Parsee and me to be propelled backwards into the air, right before we both hit the ground the very same second, lying on our backs, dreamy expressions on our faces, our limbs still twitching. "Gah! Parsheeeee... Chôzheeeeen...! What happened to you?", gasped Satori, climbing on Parsee's stomach. "Are you two alright? Pwease, answer me!", pleaded the young satori, to which Parsee and I both managed to lift our right hands, showing Satori weak thumb-ups. "A-everything is alright...", murmured Parsee. "W-why is this always happening...?", squealed Satori, tears in the corners of her eyes.

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><p>And so, Parsee allowed me to play with Satori and whoever Koishi was. However, Parsee, still supicious towards me, whispered into my ear as she walked past me, that she would send someone to watch over me. Someone she called Okuu and Orin... And well, that's how I ended up walking through this corridor of the palace of earth spirits, being dragged by Satori Komeiji...<p>

Suddenly, the area around me flashed once and Satori was gone. Something hard hit me in the side of my head, send me flying across the corridor. A pillar broke in two as I flew through it... I ended up inside the wall a good three meters above the ground, my back hurting like hell.

As I opened my eyes in pain, I stared into what appeared to be an orange barrel of a gun... a giant barrel, something that appeared to be highly charged energy gathering inside. The barrel was, however, the lower arm of what appeared to be a woman half-crow, half-human. "Going down here was your biggest fault... I'm going to take your memories and throw you into a time paradox, to suffer three centuries... and then, face demonic pavement...", laughed the faceless woman, the energy inside the barrel becoming brighter and brighter...

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><p><em>Present, Chôzen's thoughtsmind_

Oh come on, again?

**...yes... another barrier.**

Barrier? That's what you call someone trying to kill me as he tells me he will take my memories?

**..that's what it is... a barrier your subconcious mind created in order to protect you from any harm you may suffer because of that memory. In the end, it is your fault that this memory is messed up like this...**

How is it my fault?

**You pushed the memory back so often, feared it, began to panic once you saw it, that your subconciousness has begun to treat it as a threat. Inside your subconciousness, you still fear it, and thus, you try to see it... the face of the one that took your memories.**

...I see...

**Watch out... the closer you get to the end of the memory, at whichs end you will see the face of the one that caused your amnesia, the stronger the barriers will become... you may have to fight them for real.**

...alright.

* * *

><p><em>About 500 years ago, Gensokyo - Underground, Palace of the earth spirits<em>

And so, Parsee allowed me to play with Satori and whoever Koishi was. However, Parsee, still supicious towards me, whispered into my ear as she walked past me, that she would send someone to watch over me. Someone she called Okuu and Orin... And well, that's how I ended up walking through this corridor of the palace of earth spirits, being dragged by Satori Komeiji...

"He, Onii-chan!", called out Satori, surprising me. "O-onii-chan?", I asked her. "Sure. You sheem to be a good big brother...", smiled Satori at me, causing me to sweatdrop. "Have you ever had own children, Onii-chan?"

A sharp pain struck me, a pain that came close to a needle through the heart... for a short moment, the area around me became a dark room, a king-size bed with white covers, an old bedside lamp, red curtains in front of an open window, the darkest night outside. In front of me kneeled a woman with long, black hair, wearing a black kimono in order to hide the seal on her back. She was crying, her black hair hanging in front of her face, hiding it... Nanatsu no Taizai...

I returned to reality, shook my head. "No... I never had children, Satori.", I replied, swallowing down the sadness that welled up inside of me... What luck it was that Satori was unable to read my mind...

"No? D'aw...", sighed Satori, patting my shoulder. "Shomething wrong? You sheem pretty shad about shomething..." I flinched, looked at the young satori. Was she... reading my heart? My emotions? "Hey... no need to sheal it all inside you, Onii-chan. Whatever bothers you will only get worse if you keep it inside...you will get sad... sick..."

I looked... no... I stared at the young, but yet pretty wise girl... then, I put a hand on top of her head. "Thank you, Satori.", I smiled. "What for?", she asked, blinking. But despite her obvious confusion, I continued to smile at her, then put my hands around her and hugged her. "Hehehe...", chuckled another voice, right before I felt someone sit onto my shoulders.

"Hey, sis, who's this funny Onii-chan?", asked another childish voice. I let go of Satori and stood up, turning my head to get a glance at who sat on my back, but I didn't manage to, mostly because two small hands put themselves around my head, someone beginning to giggle like mad. "Yay, giddyap!", laughed the voice, encouraging me to start running.

This was my first meeting with Koishi Komeiji, Satori's younger sister, which looked pretty much like her older sister, the only difference their clothing and their childishness. Koishi was pretty much a more childish version of her older sister... her hair wavy, grey-greenish and short. Koishi was wearing a black hat with a yellow ribbon around it and an orange shirt with diamond-like blue buttons and dark green collar, in addition to a green skirt with a faint flowery pattern... she wore black socks as well. And much like Satori, Koishi also had a third eye, her's being blue, the cords wrapped around her torso and attached to each of her ankles.

* * *

><p>A short while later, Satori and Koishi, who took turns riding on my shoulders (my flame-soul teased me as "being popular with the ladies"), lead me to a room that we were supposed to go in all time along... Parsee had send us there, but when Koishi arrived and we began to play in that corridor, we went everywhere inside the palace but the room we were supposed to go to...<p>

Anyways, as we entered, two persons immediately looked up... they had been staring at the ground before, apparently waiting for someone... or rather, us.

One of the two females had fiery red hair styled into twin-braids, two black cat ears poking out of it. Her darkred eyes focused on me, Satori and Koishi as we entered, laughing our asses of at something we didn't even know. That female with the cat ears also wore a black decorated dress with green frills, a wheelbarrow leaned against the wall aside her, several spirits hovering around her.

The other female had long, darkbrown, almost black hair, wore a white short-sleeved shirt with a red "eye" in the center, a short green skirt, and a green hair-ribbon. Her lower right arm was surrounded by what appeared to be an orange rod with strange signs on each end. She also wore a white cape with starry pattern on the inside, which was kept aloft by her wings. Her right foot was encealed in something that looked like concrete or some congealed matter, while her left ankle was orbited by some electrons.

"Satori-sama!", exclaimed the cat-like youkai, which was without a doubt a kasha. "Satori-sama~ ,Koishi-sama~ , Utsuho-Sama~...", sung the other one sheepishly, a hell raven... before she realised something. "Oh. I'm Utsuho.", she said emotionlessly... then began to sing again. "...this man there sure is strange~!" The two walked over to us (the hell raven was rather dancing, though), stopped in front of us.

"Giddyap, Chôz!", snickered Koishi, as she jumped onto my shoulders again, being now eye-to-eye with Utsuho (or at last that was the hell raven's name according to her own statement). "Unyu... I wanna ride on him too...", murmured the hell raven, actually seeming to be... drooling? "You're too tall.", chuckled the kasha, putting a hand on Utsuho's shoulder. "Ah!", exclaimed the hell raven... before she suddenly turned into a small raven with a red "eye" on its chest. She then sat down onto Koishi's head, let out a sheepish smile as she blushed. I sweatdropped.

"So, bro, who're ye?", smiled the kasha sheepishly. "Are you the one Parsee is so scared of?" I chuckled. "I guess. I am Chôzen Gekido. Nice to meet you.", I smiled, bowing to her. "Pleasure's mine, bro.", grinned the kasha. "Name's Rin. Rin Kaenbyou. Okuu and I are two of Satori's pets. The elite, ya could say." "Okuu?", I asked, smiling as Satori began complaining to Koishi that she wanted to ride on my shoulders again. "Utsuho Reiuji, the sis that sits on Koishi's head.", snickered Rin. "Satori-sama called her Okuu when she first found us and didn't manage to pronounce her name... Ironically, she called me Orin."

"Uhm... I think she rather wants to nickname everyone... I'm Onii-chan... or Chôz.", I chuckled. Rin rose an eyebrow at that, then snickered. "So like her, brother, so like her.", grinned Rin. I sweatdropped. "I guess...", I chuckled uneasily.

"Come on, Onii-chan! Let's play tag!", exclaimed Koishi, jumping off my shoulders. She landed in front of me with skill that reminded of a ninja, gestured me to bow in front of her, then grinned widely at me as she lifted one of her hands... and placed it on my forehead. "Yoooooou're it!", she shouted, before she dashed past me, Utsuho (still in bird-form) and Satori on her heels. "Aw man.", I chuckled. "Good luck, bro. See you.", snickered Rin as she walked past me and put a hand onto my shoulder... then, she turned into a cat form, and rushed out the door as well. "Catch me if you can!", she roared. "Aw hell no, you too?", I murmured uneasily, then let out a loud sigh. "Here we go...", I sighed, then began chasing them.

* * *

><p><em>About 460 years ago, Gensokyo - Entrance to the underground<em>

And so ended my first visit to the underground. Hard to believe, but I actually stayed for forty years down there... Satori and Koishi let me live in the palace of earth spirits for that time... Not much interesting happened, though. It was like some kind of twisted paradise... I woke up in the morning to have breakfast with them, then, we would play all day long things like tag or hide-and-seek...

...but of course, it was not like we played all the time. There were times when Satori or Koishi would be sick... At such times, I would help Utsuho and Rin to help nursing them back to health... Geez, that one time when Koishi got fever for about one and a half week was like hell... Satori was all depressive, while Koishi was all sick...

...it got only worse when she catched the "fever", and began dancing through the whole palace... even worse when that strange Youkai with red eyes and short violet blue hair, wearing a white and red shirt, a long black skirt, and a hat with a red bow and two long ribbons extending out, a white and red shawl entwined along her arms and blouse, showed up to "fever" along Koishi...

...it was hell all over.

But that's in the past now. For now, I would be going to the surface for a while, to relax and see the real sun again.. rather than Utsuho's artificial sun, created with her power to bend nuclear energy. Though it surely got you a nice tan... Utsuho is rather pale, though, since she is immune to any kind of rays and radiation.

I let out a long sigh as I left the dark, moist cave in behind me. I would've liked to take Satori and Koishi along with me, Utsuho and Rin, even Parsee, as well... but sadly, since it was forbidden for surface Youkai to enter the underground and the underground Youkai to enter the surface... There were two exceptions now...

..one, an Oni that didn't retreat into the underground and now lives somewhere on the surface...

...the other a walking engima, a youkai without a past, present and future...

Suddenly, the world around me flashed, the sky became violet with red eyes swirling inside as if the sky was a violet ocean and the eyes were lily pads, swimming into the endlessness. Something pushed me down onto the ground, something cold and pointy at my throat.

Above me stood two beings. One of them was a faceless version of Yukari, the other one a faceless version of a purplehaired, fragile appearing girl in a lavender pajama, a book in her right hand. "I'll take that precious memory of yours... and then, then it is just you and me, Chôzen...", whispered the faceless Yukari. "For what you did to Flan, I shall punish you with royal flames...", added the second, faceless girl.

* * *

><p><em>Present, Chôzen's thoughtsmind_

What the? I didn't even know Patchouli back then! It was maybe a century later that I met her!

**Another twisted barrier of your mind... there are a very few persons you subconciousness knows that could've been the culprit... Yukari, Patchouli, Parsee, Satori, Rin, Koishi, Utsuho, Suwako and Kanako... these are those that your subconciousness thinks of as possible culprits.**

Grrr...! Well then! Time to break some barriers!

**Hm?**

The Satori and Utsuho barriers are already broken... Yukari and Patchouli will be in a second...

**Come to think of it, how exactly do you break them?**

It's pretty simple: I break them with logic.

**Logic?**

Logic. Satori Komeiji wasn't the one responsible for my memory loss. Satori has retreated into the underground not only because she was shunned, but because she also fears human minds... and especially my mind. When her abilities developed later on, she began to read my mind... and it freaked her out like hell. She would be the last person to go into the world outside Gensokyo, the world of humans.

**Logic...**

Utsuho Reiuji is loyal to Satori and was befriended with me rather closely. She knows she would blow her cover when she enters the human world, her wings would reveal her to be non-human. Also, like Satori, she is not allowed to enter the surface.

**...hm...**

Yukari Yakumo seems to be that kind of person. She would fit for being a mastermind behind any evil scheme... would fit for being the one to take my memories in order to get me... But she can't manipulate my boundaries. Furthermore, she was the one to send me to the outside world in the first place on your request. She was the one who wanted me to meet Nanatsu again...

**Yeah...**

And Patchouli, while being a close friend of Remi and Flan, is too fragile to hold a battle against me for all too long. It is true that she is powerful with magic, but she is weak when it comes to endurance. Also, she didn't make me responsible for anything that happened in the Scarlet Mansion... THAT day...

**No, she didn't. In fact, she was the one to encourage your search for Nanatsu, and was the first one to accept your decision to leave the Scarlet family in order to find Nanatsu.**

Right. And let's continue here... we should break as many barriers as possible before they even happen. Parsee... would she have left the underground, she would not only break the law of underground Youkai forbidden to enter the surface, but people would've immediately noticed... especially Yamame and Kisume, even though I didn't meet them back then.

**Break of barrier confirmed.**

Suwako and Kanako had no idea where I was. While Kanako held a grudge against me already, she was too occupied with gathering faith to chase me down... And Suwako thought too high of me. She would've also calmed Kanako down... she was the main reason as for why Kanako did not chase me down... did not try to fight me until I encountered her here in Gensokyo. In the end, the two of them couldn't have cared less about me after I left the shrine after my training.

**Barriers Suwako and Kanako have been broken.**

Stop that computer voice immitation, will ya? Anyways, that leaves Rin and Koishi. Given the fact that Rin would've caused a major traffic accident in the real world (*cough*given the damage she does in the underground *cough*)...

**That leaves Koishi Komeiji...**

N-no... No! Impossible! It couldn't have been K-Koishi...!

**Just think of it... during your last visit, Koishi had closed her eye off in order to avert the hatred humans show against her sister... She hated reading minds. However... she gained the ability to manipulate the SUBCONCIOUSNESS, the very same that now tries to block your memory... Face it, Chôzen, the only one who could've...**

NO! IT WAS NOT KOISHI!

* * *

><p><em>About 440 years ago, Gensokyo - Underground, the bridge people no longer cross<em>

"So you're back, huh?", called Parsee out to me, even before I rounded the corner leading towards the bridge people no longer cross. "Indeed I am.", I replied with a smile. "Your eyes glow so bright that I already knew it was you... you illuminated the whole tunnel with them.. I am jealous...", growled Parsee under her breath, while I walked towards her with a smile.

"I missed you too, Parsee.", I snickered, putting a hand onto her shoulder. "Don't speak like that with me...", she growled, gnawing on her left thumb. She was cute when she was angry or jealous.

"Anyways, may I pass?", I asked her, to which the jealous bridge princess nodded. "Do it. Now.", she growled, her right eyelid beginning to twitch. Upon seeing that, I nodded and bowed to her a last time, then made a dash for the ancient city. "See you, Parsee!", I exclaimed over my shoulder, to which the bridge princess growled again. "DON'T BE FRIENDLY TO ME! I AM JEEEEEALOUS!", she roared after me.

A moment later, after leaving the ancient city behind, I walked through a corridor of the palace of earth spirits on search for my favourite satori sisters. I opened up a large wooden door, leading into Satori's study...

...and there, in front of the large window, her back towards me... stood what would become my tormentor... the one that stole my memories.

Slowly, she turned around, revealed her face to me...

...and I smiled at her. "I'm back.", I smiled at her, unknowing what she would do to me one day...

* * *

><p><em>Present, Gensokyo - Underground, Hell of blazing fires<em>

I rose my gaze from the ground before me, turned towards a tunnel leading deeper into the hell of blazing fires. Utsuho's area. Utsuho... I hope you are alright. I need your help now... I need you to help me regain my memories. Now that I remember the face of my tormentor... I wouldn't have guessed it was her. I had hoped I was wrong all along... But it had been her. She. Utsuho... I need your help.

Make me remember.

* * *

><p>(1) Taken from I-Negative Bullet's most recent chapter, chapter 63: The girl even the evil spirits fear ~ all but one.<p>

_And that was it... the semi-final chapter of 0-NM. Next up is the final chapter... the one that touches on the incident 300 years ago. The one that reveals how everything happened. The one that reveals it all. Chôzen will meet Nanatsu no Taizai again... and his memories will be taken._

_Make sure to check out the next, final chapter of 0-NM!_

_I see ya!_

_So long!_


	20. 16 The Difference

_Hello... welcome to this final installment of 0-Negative Memory, the prequel to I-Negative Bullet._

_Yes... this is the end. Now, in this chapter, you will learn who was responsible for all this mess... though you should know it, as you should read Chapter 64 of I-Negative Bullet before this to avoid spoilers._

_Can't believe it? Neither can I. But it is like this... this is the end, my friends. The last memory of Chôzen Gekido._

_Before we start this, I want to thank everyone for reading 0-Negative Memory. Especially Kaiser Dude, Demon Neko Shen and Flandre Nightshade Scarlet for reviewing. Also special thanks go to Duwee Davis II, Sweebation and BloodSapphire95/Zorucha, who lately have become my main motivation for writing._

_...and sorry for making you cry there, Flandre NightShade Scarlet._

_Anyways, that's it, people. I hope you enjoy this last memory of Chôzen Gekido. The event that caused everything that happened in I-Negative Bullet._

_Thank you, guys and gals..._

_So then, let's start it, shall we?_

_**This chapter was uploaded along chapter 64 of I-Negative Bullet. Please make sure you read up to (including) chapter 64 of I - Negative Bullet before you read this. Could be a spoiler otherwise, as this chapter will finally reveal the last memory of Chôzen in before his amnesia.**_

* * *

><p><em><strong>Final Chapter: The difference ~ Apologies to the seven sin<strong>_

_302 years ago, Gensokyo - Underground, Palace of Earth Spirits/ Chireiden_

"S-satori-sama?", whispered Utsuho Reiuji as she entered the study. Her mistress had been sick lately. The once so cheery girl had turned into a depressive, lonesome girl that spend most of her time inside her study... as she was right now.

Satori Komeiji sat, with slumped shoulders and an expressionless face, in front of the window, looking at the courtyard of Chireiden. She apparently hadn't even noticed that Utsuho had enter her study. "Satori-sama, I have brought your dinner. Shall I put it onto the desk?", asked the hell raven. At least, that was what she used to be. But after she ate the corpse of a god, of the yatagarasu, the three-legged crow, a few centuries ago, she had turned into something neither truly hell-raven, nor yatagarasu. Something in between. Something powerful.

As she received no reply from her master, Utsuho let out another long sigh. It had been something common in the palace since a few days... receiving no reaction from Satori Komeiji was something that depressed everyone. It was as if a dark cloud hung over the palace of earth spirits, the palace that had once been a lively place... especially when Chôzen Gekido came to visit. Satori Komeiji and her younger sister had apparently taken him to their small hearts, as had he with them... But since he left a while ago, had vanished without any real reason and any explanation, he had been barely seen in Gensokyo.

Downcast, Utsuho put the plate with her masters dinner on the desk. "I will go now.", muttered Utsuho, only to receive yet again no reply from the satori. With a heavy heart, the hell-raven-turned-yatagarasu turned to leave. At this very moment, one could be happy if Satori Komeiji at least grunted or sighed... it was the only reaction, and a very rare at that. Otherwise, the young Komeiji was lost deep within her own mind... And where was Koishi? Utsuho hadn't seen her in days...

"G-gone..." Utsuho perked up, her right hand placed against the side of the half open door. Her control rod was inside her room at this very moment, she didn't need it right now... but had... had Satori just spoken?

Utsuho turned to look over her shoulder. Satori hadn't moved at all, seemingly had not taken notice of her being present... was the young Komeiji talking to herself?_ "..._gone forever... never be the same..." Utsuho's eyes widened as it clicked inside her head. The recent events... now everything made sense.

She growled under her breath, turned to the corridor. So he had done this to Satori... Chôzen Gekido! He was responsible for everything! The hell raven closed her right hand around the door, tightened her grip... until she felt the wood splinter under her grip. She let go of it. And let Satori's study behind. Chôzen Gekido...

...he would have to pay.

"K-koishi.. why did you... close your heart...?", whispered Satori to herself, but Utsuho never heard it...

* * *

><p><em>302 years ago  the day Chôzen vanished, Outside World - Japan, Tokio_

Here I was. Uncertain, lonesome, scared. Behind this very door was what I fearedand yet longed for... Nanatsu no Taizai, my one and true love... My life and my death. I had promised to be with her in times good and bad, in sickness and in health...

I rose my right hand and turned it around, looked at the seal of Nanatsu's and my marriage... The seal of our love. Clenching my right hand to a fist, I let the determination flow through me. I had hesitated long enough... waited long enough. In the end, had to be forced here by a mere persona... This shall be no more.

I put my hand against the door. Gathered determination. Fujiwara no Mokou, Yukari Yakumo, Yuyuko Saigyouji, Youmu Konpaku, Takato Matsuki, Ulquiorra Cifer, Mana Hakurei, Mima Hakurei, Kanako Yasaka, Suwako Moriya, Rumia Shisô, Mystia Lorelei, Byakuren Hijiri, Remilia Scarlet, Flandre Scarlet, Patchouli Knowledge, Koakuma, Hong Meiling, Satori Komeiji, Koishi Komeiji, Parsee Mizuhashi, Rin Kaenbyou, Utsuho Reiuji... They would've wanted me to. It was their determination that flew through me. Their determination shall end this... my sorrow.

As I pushed the door open after turning around the keys twice and unlocking the door that way, a soft melody returned to my memory, a song Nanatsu once sung, saying that it fit me so much...

_**Though the scent lingers, the flower scattered one day.**_

_**It couldn't even allow me to wander...**_

The door was open, I was past it. I felt pretty nostalgic as I saw the old corridor still the way it was... to believe that the house actually didn't change in all those centuries. It's still the same, the wooden floor, the wooden staircase at the end with the polished railing... The door to my left, leading into the living room. Nanatsu would be behind it. I would be too in a moment.

My steps became heavier as I walked towards it, my body suddenly feeling twice its original weight... Despair and sorrow... Guilt... it lay heavy on my shoulders. But my decision was made. Nevermore shall this walking enigma surrender. Nevermore.

I laid my hand onto the doorhandle... and pushed it down.

_**The flower is in full bloom,**_

_**Taught me one day that living just for the sake of it is a sin...**_

Hesitation. The door was merely ajar, little light from the living room falling into the corridor I was in. I could still turn around. Could still flee this uncertain future. Had Nanatsu seen the door move? I hope not... I... I just can't do this. I can't face her... not after what I've done to her. I have ruined her life... It shall not be in my place to childishly chase her and beg her for forgiveness. I do not deserve forgiveness...

"Hello? Is someone there?", shouted Nanatsu's voice. Her sweet, soft voice... "If you are a burglar, make sure you leave quickly, or I'm going to call the police!", she roared. Still acting like a human? Can't blame her. Youkai living in this world act like humans to avoid being hunted down... It was no time for Youkai, humans do not believe in magic and myths anymore...

So what... she had seen the door move. Should I enter now? Or hastily leave? What... what if Nanatsu has long forgotten me? Has started a new life and doesn't want the past anymore? What... what if Nanatsu... is living happily now... with... with another man and...

No... For gods sake, this is Nanatsu we're talking about! Nanatsu, the beauty with the dark secret! She avoids too much contact with men and women alike due to her curse... The embodiment of the seven deadly sins. Nanatsu would've rather lived in complete solitude than with a man... or a woman. Other than me, as for I do not give into any sin too much.

I gulped and made it, the final decision... I pushed the door open. As I did, the sound of breaking glass came to my ears... I spotted her immediately, sitting on an armchair, broken glass to her feet... There she was, the beauty with the dark secret, the woman I had given my heart to...

_**We can't be seperated, I can't leave you**_

_**My feelings, holding onto them, only make my heart excited...**_

"I-Is that..." I didn't move when Nanatsu stumbled to her feet, stumbled towards me. She slowed down, hesitated when she came closer to me, became cautious and apparently didn't believe her eyes... I didn't move when she reached me, slowly rose her hand... I didn't move when she put a hand onto my left cheek and stroke over it.

"Chôzen...? I-is that really you?", she breathed as she stroke my left cheek, merely centimeters in between her and my face. As we were this close, an old feeling overcame me, the feeling of warmth. I felt the need to kiss her... to embrace her... to be with her. She was mine. My Nanatsu... only mine.

_**Though the scent lingers, the flower scattered one day,**_

_**I have no time to wander, but I take a step back.**_

_**So frail that I depend on it and so weak that I can't be depended on.**_

_**The nightmare tenderly toys around with me...**_

"Yes... Yes it is me.", I whispered. For a moment, nothing happened. The silence had overwhelmed us, the feeling of familiarity... and then, suddenly, I had a crying woman in my arms. She had thrown her hands around my neck, was crying into my shoulder, sobbing madly.

"Y-you're back...", she sobbed into my shoulder. "I am... I am...", I assured her, patting her back slowly. "W-where've you been? Why... why did you leave me all alone?" I froze up, stared past her against a wall. "I... was alone as well. I... thought you.. may hate me." "Hate you?", asked Nanatsu stunned. "I would never hate you...", she murmured, wipping her tears away. "You are what I hold onto in this sick existence... Why would I hate you?"

Guilt became heavier than before, made my heart heavy with it's shackles. "I'm sorry that I thought that way... I am sorry for what I did to you... what has happened in between us.", I whispered, sighing. "Apology accepted.", giggled Nanatsu, freeing herself of my embrace.

"...all that counts is, that you are back... W-will you stay? Stay with... me?" Despite the swirl of emotions I felt, guilt, love, familiarity, sadness, happiness, panic, anger at myself... But I was above such emotions. I was the chosen nihilist. The chosen one.

_**Just now, you, who know weakness**_

_**Forgave the desires of those who seek it**_

_**The momentary beauty bloomed admirably...**_

"I can't stay." Nanatsu frowned, looked shocked at me. "But I came to take you with me. Let us return to Gensokyo, Nana... let us leave all what has happened in this world here behind..." The shinigami of seven deadly sins continued to look shocked at me... before that beautiful smile of hers crept its way onto her lips. "I see... so then, our seperation will have to continue a hundred years more... My duty here is not yet over, Chôzen Gekido, husband of mine. In a hundred years, however, it will end, as I can return to Gensokyo then."

I sighed loudly, however, with a smile on my lips. "A hundred years? It will be easy opossed to what I have been through until now... A hundred years will be easy for me to handle. But still, my heart weights hard...", I whispered as I stepped forwards again, brushed a strand of hair out of her face,leaned down.

"But I shall continue to visit you, Nana... I shall no more leave you alone, as for I hate the solitude." She giggled, something rather out of character for her, closed her eyes as she did so. "You can stop talking like that. I forgve you already, my shining knight. We both have misunderstood each other..." "Thank you Nanatsu...", I breathed, closed the distance in between us... and my lips met hers. "Promise me to never leave me alone again... Will you?"

_**...it might be too late for me to know it...**_

* * *

><p>When I left my old home, it was already deepest night... whether it was the same night or days later, I didn't know... Being with Nanatsu again, her forgiving me... I had lost track of time as I was near her again. The only thing in my life that had ever really mattered.<p>

But now... as sad as it was, I would have to leave. Gensokyo was calling for me... I had too many ties to it by now. My past was its past, its future was my future. Yukari would, as usual, pick me up at the park... the park I had first left this world through after I argued with Nanatsu. After I fled into the night... How foolish I had been to think she hated me. That she would ever hate me...

_**Though the scent lingers, the flower scattered one day.**_

_**I want to childishly entrust in everything of yours...**_

I sighed and pulled my shirt tighter. It was cold and raining. Storming. Late in the night. As good as no one was in the park as I entered... Too damn cold weather. Damn Yukari for being that lazy being she is... can't even think ahead. Instead of creating a gap where I am, she awaits that I enter the park... Damn you, Yukari!

As I reached the spot Yukari and I had agreed on, a pretty hidden clearing inside a small forest with a paved ground and a small fountain in its middle, Yukari's gap was nowhere in sight. No surprise for me. It wasn't the first time that she was late. However... this time, there was something out of the usual. It began when the voice spoke up.

"Hello Chôzen." I frowned, the voice somewhat familiar to me. "Utsuho?", I asked in confusement as I turned around... and stared directly into the barrel of her control rod. "What the hell are you doing here Utsuho? And take that thing out of my face!", I hissed, glancing around if a human had spotted us. But due to the rain, there was no one... luckily. A good thing that we Youkai don't get colds as easy as humans do...

Utsuho didn't react to my hiss, which caused me to wonder. However, when I tried to step away from the barrel, she strangely followed me with it, continued to point it at me. "Utsuho, what has gotten into you? You shouldn't be here in the outside world! How did you even get out?", I growled.

"Broke through the border. The Hakurei wasn't exactly happy with it... but I did it.", replied the clearly irritated hell raven. "Why?", I continued my interrogation. "Oh, don't worry... I am here for you...", she growled. I rose an eyebrow. "Me? Why would you follow me into the outside world? Has Satori sent you?" That had been the wrong question, as it should turn out.

"Don't you dare use her name so casually! I am here because you have to pay for what you have done to Satori-sama!", roared Utsuho. Just in time, I managed to lean my body to the right, avoiding a nuclear orb of pure, super-charged energy. "What? I haven't done anything to Satori!", I growled.

_**I can't forgive you in my kindness and my desire to monopolize your wavers,**_

_**They're selfish loves that can't be compared to one another...**_

Excellent. A kinda slow-thinking hell raven-turned-yatagarasu wants to kill me because she thinks I have done something to her master. Perfect! I may as well just blow up the next atomic power plant and stand next to the out-of-control core. Same effect.

Nuclear energy wouldn't kill a Youkai (at least not instantly, it takes a lot of radiation to kill a Youkai), but it could very well cause horrible mutations. Chernobyl caused some very freaky mutations by nearby Youkai... some good, some bad, some interesting and others just plain wicked.

"Liar!", hissed Utsuho, shooting at me again. I dove out of the way. Oh no, I wouldn't go down now, not now that I have Nanatsu back in my life... but I can't kill. Not Utsuho. I can't kill... not anymore. I do care about life and death now. Humans and Youkai are worth exactly the same. I ain't a nihilist anymore...

* * *

><p><em>Hours before...<em>

"Nanatsu... to prove you that I am back to you... That I have left behind my nihilism once and for all..."

**Crack**

"C-Chôzen! Y-Your face, i-it is...!"

**Crack.**

"I have done no mistake by following the path of nihilism. It was my destiny to do so."

**Crack.**

"CHÔZEN! Why is your face breaking apart?"

True to her word, there was a large fissure, running from the upper left of my face down to the middle, across my left eye. And more fissures began to appear on my face from all sides.

"And I won't do a mistake with what I do now. What I do now is also my destiny. Insanity knows. My flame-soul knows. Yukari knows. The nihilism itself does. It has become worthless, the nihilism's path has laid upon me... whether it continues to stay or not won't change a thing anymore..."

I rose my left hand to the height of my head, put it onto my face and moved it to the source of the largest fissure. All the while, an indifferent expression was no my face, my eyes empty and my mouth a simple line. My left hand reached the upper left of my face... and the fingers sunk into my head. Or so it appeared.

"CH-CHÔZEN!", shrieked my wife, looking at me with fear, panic... But I continued to look at her indifferently. My hand clenched around it... and then, I pulled my arm down, while I moved my head back. And before Nanatsu's very eyes, it shattered.

The mask of no more future broke apart into shards. I had decided. I wasn't a nihilist, but I was the incarnation of nihilism itself by now... I don't have to be a nihilist to represent it. My fate is sealed, my destiny is to destroy...whether I have the mask or not does not matter as long as the nihilism, which has become one with me, exists.

This was the reason I couldn't feel it anylonger. Why it failed upon me... it hadn't. It was never gone. But during my fight with Rumia Shisô...

All the while long, I had tried to fit into the nihilism, had adapted to it. Something unable to fit, something not meant to fit. Never would I become the nihilism... But during the fight with Rumia Shisô, the nihilism had adapted to me. Had become me. It changed to be mine... the reason why I couldn't feel anylonger. Like a mask made for my face, it fit it. The real Chôzen had been born. The real Chôzen... had always been the weak, emotional one. Not the nihilist. That was who I was. Who I should've been all along. And Rumia Shisô made me realize so without knowing... I thank her for that.

As I lowered my head to look at Nanatsu, my expression had changed. No longer empty eyes, my mouth no longer a simple line... My eyes radiated old emotions, my lips curled up into a warm, genuine smile... I was back. And Nanatsu realized that. She knew it. I knew so, as she fell into my arms again.

"The reason why I ran from you all those centuries ago... I was confused, thought you hated me... The real reason for my uncertainty, for why I thought that you'd hate me... it was this. This stupid, old mask...", I whispered into her ear, looked expressionless over her shoulder at the remains of the mask in my hand, the forehead and the holes for the eyes... and then, as my lips curled up into another smile... I let go of the remains of the mask.

It hit the ground with no noise and shattered apart. And the shards disintegrated. The mask was taken off... Chôzen Gekido was back. The real one...

_**Though the scent lingers, all of the flower scattered...**_

* * *

><p>I ducked under Utsuho's next bullet. No way I would allow her to kill me... All I need now is a safe way to escape. A way to get out of here... I needed help, I knew that. If I only could move this fight to Gensokyo... Yukari, Yuyuko... maybe Mokou, heck, even Youmu or Mima! I just needed someone to help me! Utsuho was way too poweful, even for me... Something like a gods power, and such a dangerous one at that, isn't something even exalted Youkai like me should play around with.<p>

**"GET THE HECK OUTTA THERE! LOOK!"**, roared Insanity's voice inside my head. Glancing past Utsuho, I saw what he meant... Yukari's gap had opened. My key to freedom... or at least momentary safety...

I dove past Utsuho, sled underneath her control rod as she swung it at me. After a quick sommersault, I was back on my feet, jumped towards the boundary between here and there, the gap that led into Yukari Yakumo's distorted world.

In midair, I turned around... Utsuho can't follow me yet, fighting in this gap world of Yukari's is no option... I need to close it.

I extended my hand towards the gap, gathered negative energy. The gathering process was slow, Yukari's distorted world didn't have as much negative energy as other worlds. Through the still open gap, I could still see Utsuho... and I could see the blinde rage in her eyes. "THIS IS FOR HURTING SATORI!", roared the mad raven, energy gathering inside her control rod. Dangerous, deadly energy.

Silently, I snarled at my ability to charge faster... faster than Utsuho. However, she was already done when I almost had enough energy to absorb the gap. I slowly drifted backwards, away from the gap, when Utsuho shot. NO! Damn it!

Just that moment, my energy was fully charged. I unleashed my ability to negate... the gap needed to be closed. Come on, all I need to do is to negate that damn gap, turn around, and open it... maybe to the Hakurei Shrine! The Hakurei Maiden of this century will surely help me!

And then, I unleashed it. A split second after I heard Utsuho's control rod being fired, I unleashed my own ability... and watched how it all went wrong. The moment the gap distorted, turned into a mere picture being sucked into my extended hand, the deadly bullet, the super-charged bullet, was right inside the gap... and was sucked in as well.

"NooARGH!" Incredible pain shot through my body. It felt as if my veins were on fire. Forcing one eye open, I managed to catch a glance of my twitching body... it was glowing in a steady, green glow... but the glow began to waver, turning orange, then back to green... Damn it all! Damn it!

I just need to turn around and unleash...

w-what is happening? W-why does my feel my body... so numb? Why is...

I opened my eyes... my movements were slow, continued to slow down... No... no... NO! What is happening? Why is this happening? I feel... nothing...

...I felt... nothing... the nothingness... I hated...

My body... didn't move anymore... no... no it did. It just moved slow. Incredible slow... The movement of one second... the movement that should've taken one second... it happened... but at a speed... that would take centuries...

No...

...Nanatsu... Nanatsu I am sorry...

I will break out promise...

...I don't want to... I don't want to break it, but... I have no choice.

_**My feelings spill into my short memory...**_

_**Oh dying life, be brief yet strong...**_

Caught in a time paradox, as for this is what it is, I will be unable to be wtih you for another long, long time..

...I hope you can forgive me yet again...

...Nanatsu...

...this is my apology to the seven deadly sins.

Because... I do care...

_**Like the merciless, yet tender time...**_

* * *

><p><em>2 years ago, Yukari's distorted world - Time Paradox Area, Chôzen's "Grave"<em>

_~ 0 - Negative Memory Ending theme: Steve Conte - Worth a Chance ~_

This eternity... it has almost passed. My body has moved... it has moved slowly... but i am as good as done. The movement of one second in a threehundred years... It is nearly done.

My soul is weak... my mind... breaking the mask has caused a lot of damage, I was aware of that... stuck in a time paradox for a threehundred years... my body unaware of the different time-flow, my mind aware...

I can't take much more. I wish nothing more... than to see Nanatsu again. Whether or not I will be mentally crippled by a threehundred years long torture doesn't matter to me...

I just... I just want to see her face again. Her smile. I had waited so long... and have waited so long again.

Why is it that my life has to be made of tragedies and sorrow? Why is it that I do deserve this?

Please... if you are out there, higher being, supernatural force... I don't know who or what you are... but please... don't you think I suffered long enough? Please free me... of my sorrow... my burdens...

...make me alive again...

...my mind hurts... my soul...

A sudden movement. Nothing more than a flinch... but then, everything happened so fast. My body has turned around. The gap was set free again... I can finally escape... this madness... I see... I see a light.. through the gap... I finally see again.. light... how I missed it...

With a sudden movement of speed I had forgotten it existed, my body was launched through the gap, was launched into the light. And as I opened my eyes to see again, to face life again...

...I was never happier to see pavement. I was nearing it at alarming speed, pavement, pavement right in front of the Hakurei Shrine...

...a smile crept onto my lips.

**CLONK!**

_And so... everything started..._

* * *

><p><em>Present, Gensokyo - Underground, Hell of Blazing Fires, Magma Chamber, beneath the surface of magma<em>

I opened my eyes, yet my grip remained as tight as before. Utsuho had her eyes still closed, was still in my 'embrace', but I know she wasn't unconciousness... her face was pretty beautiful, now that it wasn't distorted in rage... It was peaceful. "Moron."

I chuckled as I heard it. "Do you still not believe me? I am Chôzen Gekido." For some mysterious reason, the magma did not flow into my mouth as I opened it. That's right... Utsuho and I were still sinking into the magma, and though the pain was unbearable, we were still conciousness, were still alive. Still alive...

* * *

><p><em>Oh Em Gee.<em>

_Guys and gals, I can't believe we are already at this point... the end of 0-Negative Memory. Chôzen's past. We are in the present now, I-Negative Bullet... Oh, and the lyrics in this chapter are from the song "Though the scent lingers, the flower scattered", the opening to "the memories of phantasm"._

_Chôzen's past, full of tragedies and sorrow... the past of the walking enigma. Colored in crimson of blood, blue of tears, black of tragedy and green of guilt and sorrow, he walked it. Not caring about life and death, he only searched to fill the nothingness until it became his only goal in life._

_Along the way, he met several different people, each unique in it's own way... he would see some of them again as he awoke from his slumber of 300 years, would have to remember them. Would have to go through it all again, through all the tragedy... but for a higher goal. But for what?_

_Questions flooded his mind as he would sink into the magma with Utsuho Reiuji, but just as many questions appeared, just as many questions were answered. He understood it now. Understood it all. Why his life was wrapped in tragedies._

_Thank you for reading 0-Negative Memory. I hope you continue reading Negative Bullet Project... we are long from finished._

_So long._

_SorrowfulReincarnation._


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